Heartthrob

Ring ring. Moshi moshi, EJ-desu.

EJ was awoken with a start, eyes bleary but well-rested from the early bedtime, mind abuzz from the blaring ringer. She wasn't a morning person on the best of days, but now, after such stress and worry, she wasn't looking forwards to any more bullshit. Somewhere in her head she vaguely recollected that it was Sunday, and that this shouldn't be about work... but Judas's ringtone, an organ-synth beat as foreboding and intense as the woman herself, called out just the same.

She moved to grab it but almost immediately noticed something was wrong. Something felt... off about this whole thing. The answer came in the form of a sleepy yawn from Est, who was playing big spoon to her little ladle. One strong, synthetic hand was lazily placed at her EJ's outer thigh, taking great presumptions about their relationship; the other was still at Est's side, tourniquetted away. The cyborg was fast asleep, presumably in some kind of rest mode.

EJ almost screamed from surprise alone, but held her tongue; her skin prickled with gooseflesh, but slowly worked itself back down. She'd deal with that later; a call from Judas was way more important than a (begrudgingly cute) acquaintance accidentally sleep-fondling her.

Click. "Hello? Judas? What-", EJ stopped to yawn, then following through. "What's up? It's Sunday, I'm still off..."

"Oh, uh... Hey. I was just calling to make sure you're sleeping somewhere safe. You didn't notify me if your apartment was... livable, so I wanted to follow-up with you this morning." Judas's voice was much more measured than the last time the pair spoke, that same vampiric dominance and swagger dripping through the phoneline, but softened. EJ felt her own mood become more tender, again able to feel that trepidation in her superior's voice. She cleared her throat.

"Yeah. Apartment's fine, I'm fine, shit's all fine, Jude - er, sorry, Judas. Just tired. Long... long night. I'm almost excited to be at work tomorrow, haha..."

Judas chuckled under her breath at EJ's response, going to give one of her own - her tone had lowered and warmed, some of that bussinesslike pretense dropped. "Jude is fine, just a bit... weird. I'm glad you're ok, uh... Eej? No, that sounds bad. Gonna have to stay as EJ. And I'm excited for you to be at work tomorrow, too - on time, right?"

Right.

"Yes!" EJ began, careful not to be too loud and wake the sleeper at her side. " 'fcourse on-time, Judas! That's what we agreed on, right? And, well... Shit, I wanna keep my job, hahaha!" That was true, but her mirth was a bit forced. Still, it was just banter; it warmed her chest and lowered her shoulders, comforting her to hear the familiar woman's voice.

"Good. I'll be expecting you with that big razor grin and an armful of papers on-the-dot 1:30 PM. Now get some more sleep, would you? You sound exhausted." The smile in Judas's voice was apparent, though she was stifling the tone. Better than nothing, though. Better than being cold.

EJ smiled right back, expression melting gently beneath the unexpected positivity from her boss. She looked down at the girl at her side - her pseudoflesh foreign but comforting, her chest rising and falling in dull rhythm - and nodded. She could sleep a bit longer.

"Yeah, Jude. I'll snuggle up a bit longer. See you tomorrow."

*Click*.

The call was over, and EJ's phone was slipped beneath her own expansive pillow. She slithered down into Est's embrace once more, putting her rear end vaguely near the other girl's lap to give the suggestion of spooning, and nestled up as best she could without giving away too much contact. Her head craned over to try and get a look at Est, just to check her shoulder - it was exposed from the covers to keep from staining them, and it seemed the bleeding had stopped. Good.

Was bleeding the right word, even? Could a machine bleed? She shook the thought from her head; she was still a bit disdainful of Est, but there was something that kept her from outright hating her. She was just a person, after all - and maybe part of EJ, deep inside, sympathized with her aims. God knew the blonde had mixed feelings about undeath, and had considered it a curse in the past. A damnation, even - the burden of eternal life in servitude to a system that didn't care for you.

Est was on the flipside of the same coin: machines couldn't die, and a brain made of wires and code could just be rebooted, transferred to a new chassis. The ghoulette had no idea just how far-gone Est was, how much of her body or internals were truly mechanized, but did it matter? The woman in her bed was more filigree than flesh, despite the warmth of her torso only inches away from EJ's back. She could scarcely be more different physically, but in broader terms, were they so different?

EJ's eyes looked to the door, where Est had stowed her armor - and her sword.

No, they were different. Vastly different.

Est's arm adjusted itself to pull EJ a touch closer, the ghoul not even thinking of resisting it. Warm flesh touched cool, and she closed her eyes, taking a deep breath in through her mouth and out through her nose. It felt nice to be held, even if it was accidental. It felt secure.

Her eyes opened again to stare into the darkness of the room, taking some time now to consider the events of the past few days - or rather, to think to the future regarding it all. She began with Judas, starting a list in her mind's eye.

Judas had been... strange to her. Usually her boss was detached and even cruel, but recently she had been softening up; she had even treated her to dessert at lunch the other day. The calls, the shift in tone, the concern... What was up with that? Was she trying to warm EJ up for something? Maybe she was trying to build the secretary's confidence so she could drop her back down again. That was a very Judas thing to do. It was no secret she had chosen the iconic betrayer as her namesake, after all.

Next was Puri.

She didn't really know much about Puri yet, but at the same time she had felt so comfortable with the pink-haired party girl. From their breakfast in bed to their chatting about her life, EJ had felt at-ease in a way she could rarely afford nowadays. She felt warm again. Their whirlwind little romance was the breath of life she had needed to restore some confidence in herself, and Puri hadn't once second-guessed or admonished her. Waking up in her bed had been a scary start to a wonderful experience, though EJ couldn't have asked for more.

But on the flip side, of course, Puri's intent was suspect at best. Sure, she had been kind, and gentle, and made EJ feel so calm and confident, but at the same time, intimacy at the drop of a hat brought a new kind of insecurity to bear within the ghoulette's heart. Surely that wasn't all she had wanted, especially since she had given her gifts and social media tags, but was it all marketing? Was she just trying to get EJ to repay her somehow? The idea that the sweet and seductive club starlet had somehow been using her to get ahead made EJ's stomach knot. Or, at least, she assumed that's why it hurt.

And then, finally, Est.

Est was an oddity, but EJ had already done plenty of thinking about her. She was a compassionate killer, a somewhat socially-awkward and rather brusque woman with headstrong tendencies, a dab hand in swordsmanship, and a stunted sense of self-awareness or shame. To say nothing of her technological enhancement, she was a wildcard in the grand scheme of things that was hard to even consider next to the other two. The idea that there was even some kind of comparison was strange to think of.

It was too much for her right now. Back to sleep. Back to nothingness. Back to safety.

Maybe she'd have a dream tonight.

-

Evening. EJ woke up with a yawn and a smacking of her lips, reaching up to wipe her eyes. She felt chilly between the silken sheets, her body cooler than usual. What was wrong...?

The gentle light of Vitus's nightlife told her the answer, let in through an open window, the heavy curtains pulled aside. She reached over to touch Est and found her absent, the pillow territory re-formed, the bedroom empty of anyone but herself. No sound came from the living room or kitchen, and so she assumed they held similar emptiness. She was alone again.

The pillow Est had been resting on bore a paper scrap where her head had been, with a note written in pen. EJ took it in hand and put it beneath the moonlight where it would shine, her legs swung over the side of the bed; the chill night air licked at her like a graveyard kiss, yet she did not shy away.

"Esper James,

Hey. I thought about it some more, and frankly, you were right. I don't really know what I was thinking, being a shithead to you. I'm heading out. Sorry for the inconvenience. For your sake, forget me. We barely met anyways, so let's not make it weird."

And that was it. It felt hollow, but it was also true - they'd barely met. It wasn't exactly a friendship, even, but still EJ felt empty. Knowing as few people as she did, having one leave so abruptly, especially when she'd started to actually warm up to her... The wind in her sails died without ceremony or flourish. Maybe she would see Est again. Maybe not.

Probably not.

The note was crumpled, then ripped, then trashed. EJ let her home stay dark for a while longer, the window remaining opened - it was 6:00 PM about, and the city outside was bustling. Cars honked and tired squealed; music from bistros and theatre houses rolled in on winter winds; the scent of societal decay was caught dead within the icy air. In the distance, sirens blared - another crime committed, another late response, another second-living. Another one damned to eternity.

Breakfast was prepared in the shade, a loaf of thin rye and fresh white onion sliced to make tiger meat with premium beef. This, now, was good enough to undo the knot within EJ's gut - tiger meat for a hungry predator, aptly named and aptly consumed. She sat at the table alone as she ate and drank, water and red flesh, bread and onion and pepper and salt. It was good in a strange way - soft ground meat like a heavy spread upon thick bread, salted and peppered, with the crunch and juice of onions helping to add solidity and texture. Not for everyone, and hard to eat with fangs solely, but EJ mostly sliced it and swallowed the rest whole.

She dressed then, a light tank-top and pajama pants, before laying back on top of the bed. One of the pillows bisecting the mattress was stolen away to be a snuggle partner, it's owner wrapping one arm about it as her other reached for her phone.

Unlocking the screen rewarded her with a message from Purity, or as her tAsT nickname called her, 'Mommy Puri'. EJ smiled gently as she saw it, transitioning to her DMs to reply. Hopefuly Puri was still around.

Mommy_Puri: << Yo! U around? Hope ur feelin ok! <3 >>

ghoulPower: << Ye. Wbu? I had fun the other day. Hope we can see eachother again soon. >>

Mommy_Puri: << Hmmmmmmmmmmmmmm >>

Mommy_Puri: << Maybe kinda bold but y not rn? I'm free ;P >>

EJ had to stop, to think, to take a deep breath. Part of her wanted to rest. To relax. To just stay in those pajama pants and that tank top and look at the ceiling and think about tomorrow. She had to work tomorrow, after all, and God damnit she wasn't too excited for it. She wanted to languish and have a pity party for herself and just sleep more until it was time to wake once more.

But, then again... Puri didn't seem the type to need a whole lot of pretense or posturing around. She was easy to please, or so she seemed. Maybe it would be ok to just... relax around her.

ghoulPower: << Sure. My place or yours? >>

Mommy_Puri: << Urs. Gimme ur address, I'll head right over. >>

ghoulPower: << Kehler Complex, floor 25, apt 2091. Its right by the back stairs. You can't miss it. >>

Puri sent back a thumbs up, and like that she was back offline. EJ looked at the screen for a few moments more, wondering if this was the right choice, second-guessing the social interaction. Hopefully it'd be worth it. Maybe they'd screw again. The thought drew a wry smile from the ghoul before she shook her head; no, just a joke to herself. She wasn't in the mood for it anyways.

Up she went, feet on the floor, trotting to the bathroom. Time to observe the damage from last night. The room was a mess: sticky blue blood gave a bitter, almost vegetative scent like rotten broccoli from where it lay pooled and half-dried on the floor; pill bottles and medicine boxes were tossed around like trash, laying where they were thrown; towels were lumped on the floor from Est's attempts to stop the bleeding.

EJ set about on hands and knees to wipe up the dark cerulean stain, washcloth from the cupboard run beneath hot water and detergent. It wiped up easily enough, but that rotten nutrio-fluid scent was now clung to the washcloth itself like a putrid perfume. The solution to this was easy enough - she stood and walked calmly to the open window in her bedroom, where she wound back and pitched the newly-ruined rag into the alleyway behind the complex. Fuck it - someone else's problem now. It could join the rest of the stinking trash.

Then it was back to the bathroom to shower, just a quick one before Puri arrived. The pills and shit could wait; she didn't have the energy to worry about them right now, anyhow. Comfy clothes were stripped away and tossed aside, her newly nude form taking place in the glass-doored cubicle. Hot water was refreshing to say the least, and she welcomed the embrace of heat against how chilling her apartment was now. Their juxtaposition helped her maintain some of her motivation, enough to finish the shower and dress. The best she could do to spruce herself up and be a bit more romantic was a spritz of perfume on her humble chest, on her sternum between her breasts.

In truth, it was less a perfume and more a cocktail of pheromones - for the second-living such things were more fetching than normal scents, piercing through the jumble of heightened sensation to offer solace and sensuality that went further than raw aroma. This one was meant to excite the blood and encourage muscle movement, like a stimulant - it had a lowered effect on humans, but the bouquet of lilacs and pineapple it brought with it was still enough to be tempting. It would work, for now.

She was as ready as she could hope to be for the impromptu get-together. As ready as she cared to be, at least. She wandered about slowly turning on the lights, humming a soft and sad tune to herself; Puri couldn't see in the dark like she could, so the need for illumination was dire. And that was when she saw it.

On the floor, nearest the windowsill in her bedroom where she had let the moon in, sat a clump of fur. It was the color of starless night, and pristine and soft; there was enough to ball her fist around, and while the feeling was pleasant, it sent ice through her veins. The memory of a dream not too distant rippled in her mind's eye, and she cast a wary glance across her surroundings.

"H-Hello...? Is there a cat in here...?"

No reply. She figured as much, but the dread prospect of hearing a purr or hiss in answer was enough to make her tense as she waited.

She crept out of the bedroom then, eyes wide, pupils pinpricks. Another beckoning call left her lips, the 'pspspsps' so rumored to draw those of feline nature, the utterer's lips trembling as she vocalized. Still nothing, though the kitchen was next, and she wasn't so sure the beast wouldn't simply hide within a cupboard or cabinet.

Would it even fit?

She was stricken by the realization that if the dream-beast was truly in her home, she had no clue what she'd do if it revealed itself. True, it likely couldn't kill her... though at the same time, what if it could? What might such a terrifying creature be capable of? What if it was more than mere flesh and blood?

This frankly nauseating line of thought was interrupted by a stern knocking upon the front door, three thumps to signal a presence. EJ nearly leapt from her paper-thin skin at the startling sound, frantic gaze shooting to the faux wooden portal. Her worry, however, was assuaged in a mere moment - the outsider's voice was comfortingly familiar.

"Heeee-eeeeey~! EJ, let me innnn! Come on, it's creepy out here! Some guy was staring at me in the stairwell!" Puri's voice was far too loud and inviting for the cramped complex - she was practically begging for attention even as she attested against it. To EJ, however, it was just the safety blanket she needed. The blonde rushed to the door without a second thought, opening it up with as much restraint as she could manage - she didn't want to seem desperate, after all.

There stood Puri, all five feet ten inches of her, wrapped up in a fashionable black coat with wolf's fur trim, a pair of dark grey leggings that said 'BITE ME/EAT ME' on the left and right thighs, respectively, and trendy winter boots made of soft pink cloth with cotton liner. She had done her makeup as well, light pinks and dark black framing, with hints of glitter on her cheeks.

To EJ, she was an oasis. Even simply seeing her filled the ghoulette with emotional warmth, and she rushed to hug her taller friend-with-benefits. Puri yelped with delighted surprise as the smaller girl's strong arms encircled her, returning the favor without hesitation. EJ felt herself be lifted from the ground and pressed into the winter-warm cushion of Purity's embrace.

"Woah, haha! EJ! Hi, hi! Wow, someone's excited to see me, huh? What's got you so worked up, boo? Or are you just happy Purity's here~?"

Puri winked and laughed, swinging EJ gently from side to side before setting her back down. EJ didn't let go immediately; in fact it took her a few moments to realize Puri was giving her back her freedom. She stepped back, face tinting with what blood she had available. Seeing Puri's smile, though, had her offering one in kind.

"Sorry, s-sorry, just... I think a wild animal got into my apartment. I didn't notice until after we talked, I-" EJ was cut off by a hand over her lips, the gentle pat transitioning to a squishing of the cheek between thumb and forefinger.

Puri rolled her eyes, waggling EJ's head by the loose two-pronged grip. "A wild animal. Here. In Vitus. I... are you feeling ok, boo? Is work stressing you out? I think you might need a little bit of time to de-stress, haha!"

EJ was a doormat for the physical control Puri was prone to exerting, and she could do little more than babble softly between pursed, pouting lips in response. When Puri finally freed her she went to raise up the fistful of fur she still held, pointing at it with her other hand.

"Puri, what the fuck else could this be from, huh? It's not mine! My hair's blonde!"

Puri was silent, looking from EJ's hands to her face then back again. She opened her mouth to say something, glossy bubblegum lips parted and prepared to query, but shut them again after a few brief moments. Her hands went out gingerly to lay upon EJ's bare shoulders, turning her back towards the apartment.

"EJ, let's... let's get you inside, ok? You should sit down. I'll get you some water, we can watch a movie or something."

EJ was incredulous. Her eyes darted from Puri to her open hand - where she held nothing but healing scars, marked from where she had been digging her nails into her palm. The fur was nowhere in sight.

She was silent, mind ablaze, while Puri ushered her inside, shutting and locking the door behind her. A speechless and frazzled ghoulette was led straight to the expansive white couch, a comforting monolith in the center of an otherwise rather minimalist apartment. While she sat, Puri removed her jacket and tossed it over a chair, revealing a dark red sweater with a white heart pattern underneath.

The two sat together in silence for a few moments, Puri's arms finding their way around EJ and bringing the blonde's head to rest on a red-clad shoulder. After a few minutes more Puri broke the silence, words murmured to keep from startling the other girl.

"Heyyy. Hey. Let's watch something. Do you have NetWatch? I've got an account, we can use mine - I've got a ton of great stuff lined up."

The olive branch was met with a weak nod, and EJ scrounged up the remote from her side of the couch, handing it off. Puri took it with a smile and a squeeze of the shoulder, then going to flip through her expertly curated library of films. Horror didn't seem to be the flavor of the day for obvious reasons, so she settled on rom-coms. Click!

The pair of them settled in and snuggled up, letting the movie wash over them and glaze them in a soothing haze. Nothing like digital media to numb one's worries, after all - plus, Puri had good taste. Soon enough the pair had shifted positions again, the smaller girl taking a seat in the taller one's lap, the latter's arms wrapped lazily around the former's waist. They sunk into one another pleasantly, allowing warmth and affection to be shared from body to body.

After a few hours the movie finished; EJ had laughed so hard she cried at some parts, and let Puri wipe away her tears during the emotional moments. When the two women on screen came together for their iconic kiss, EJ had felt her head be turned by her movie buddy, the lip-lock re-enacted between the two of them without fanfare or warning. It felt natural. It felt good. The first time they had kissed, she had felt blissful nothingness - this time, she felt fulfilling warmth and fondness. Puri calmed her frantic heart and mind in a way nothing else could.

They sat there on the couch a few moments more, another film thrown on but neither of them watching this time; EJ had relaxed enough to converse, though their exchanges were mostly mumbled compliments and cute phrases. Puri took the lead once more, shifting the framework conversation to something more meaty.

"So... EJ. I'm guessing you're single, right?"

The words hit like a hammer blow, but Esper James stayed strong and nodded. "Yeah," she said, "I'm single. Have been for, like... forever. I don't really have much time to date, and ghouls aren't..."

"Aren't what? Desirable? Bullshit. You're cute as hell, EJ; maybe you just haven't met the right girl yet, you know? Plenty of fish in the barrel." Puri's face was layered with encouraging signs, a big smile and bright, friendly eyes. They made EJ's heart race.

"W-Well, uh... why do you ask?" Playing coy wasn't EJ's strong suit, but she hoped it was believable. Puri didn't seem to want to break her illusion either, so she played along, giggling into EJ's ear.

"Because I think you're cute, dummy. But more than that, well... I told you I wanted you to guest star in one of my performances with me, remember? I was making sure it'd be ok. I don't want to be some kind of homewrecker, you know?"

EJ tensed again. "A performance, like... Burlesque or something?" She asked it naively, still playing coy; after all, what else could she say? Her tender heart didn't dare address it directly.

Puri just laughed. "Yeah... something like that. Maybe less clothes, though, but the hip motions'll be about the same."

That one got EJ to laugh too, if a bit nervously, and the pair cuddled up a touch closer. 'Not tonight' was an unspoken agreement, but one that they both strongly felt. It would be a waste to ruin the romance in the air with an audience.

After a while more of resting on the couch they sat down for dinner, EJ cooking up some spare fillets in a brown sugar barbecue sauce; Puri didn't seem worried in the slightest about the lack of veggies, popping a small pill into her mouth before the meal began. They spoke as they ate, small talk just to hear one another's' voice, smiling and laughing and looking back and forth. By time They finished, shared one more kiss, and said their goodbyes, EJ had almost completely forgotten the clump of fur. Puri slipped out the door and into the night, and EJ settled back down into her bed, deciding to get an early sleep so she could wake up on time tomorrow.

As she settled down in bed, her stomach growled painfully; maybe the beef had been bad? Usually that wouldn't be a problem, but things had been strange recently. She wouldn't put it past Lady Luck to slip her some bad meat in her dinner. She just hoped Puri wasn't feeling it.

When she finally got to sleep, she dreamt of flesh. Of meat. Of hunger.

Of digging her teeth in, and never letting go.