Heartthrob

The two sat down far from the lights of the dancefloor and the thrum of the music, tucked away into a dark corner of the club where solace could be found. Here the people stayed away, straying from the pair's makeshift grotto; here, the flash of strobes couldn't catch on Purity's outfit or EJ's tears. Here they could breathe, finally, the weight of everything in the world seeming to come crashing down upon the secretary. Esper James wasn't able to form words before Purity had entangled her arms around the ghoul, pulling her close, bringing on a fresh wave of emotion.

It felt good to cry sometimes.

Finally it all spilled forth in a rush, unfiltered, sparing no detail save for those she rushed past or misremembered: her date with Judas, the night they spent together, the bump in the night, Judas's twisted body, the way she had spoken to her... And of course, the tense confrontation with Esthrielle and all that it had entailed. Oh, God, it made her whole body feel heavy. Purity's muted warmth through her tight black outer layer only helped EJ sink deeper into the embrace, shutting her eyes and resting her head where she could.

For her part, Purity listened admirably. She never interrupted, never objected, and never pulled away; she was by EJ's side for the extent of her venting, with one arm around the smaller girl's back and the other one behind her neck, hand playing with her hair. It was the best Puri could do, honestly; what was she supposed to say? 'I'm sorry your boss turned into a literal monster and sent you to kill someone'?

There is silence in the booth when EJ finishes. They sit together in that silence, bask in it, one body cool and the other warm; Esper James drinks up the scent of Purity's perfume and sweat, and Purity takes a moment of her own to think about the situation as a whole. It had to be a coincidence, right?

She thought back to that spike-thing her Eastern contact had given her, still sitting cool and rigid, tucked away between her breasts.

"EJ... I mean... That sounds awful, boo. I can't imagine what it must be like to go through that. I... Phew. You said you're looking for somewhere to stay for a while, yeah? My place is always open to you. No strings attached. We're friends, pretty, uh, close friends... I wouldn't want to leave you out in the cold."

Pun not intended. EJ nods wordlessly against Purity's chest, taking a deep breath and releasing it as a sigh. Everything felt like it was crashing down around her; her life hadn't been amazing before, but there was stability, tenuous as it was. She had a job, had a little corner of safety... She still had a job, technically, but who was to say if it would continue on that way forever?

Wasn't this what she wanted? Something to break the monotony? Some kind of excitement to creep past those endless years of stability, of safety, of tedium? She wasn't so sure anymore. She wasn't sure of very much at this point.

Purity pulls her deeper into their embrace and sighs, closing her own eyes and resting her head on EJ's. Together they sit for minute after minute, no words passing their lips, simply sharing one another's company and trying to find some way to move forwards. A half hour had passed when finally Esper James looks up, face obscured up to the eyes by Purity's generous bust. She pulled her head away, waiting until Puri was looking at her before she spoke.

"...let's go, if we could. Please. I don't really think I can get myself to dance tonight, and drinking doesn't sound... doesn't sound good. Not in public, at least. Maybe we could have something at your place...?"

Purity smiles, sad and sweet. She nods, waiting for EJ to get off of her lap before the pair of them stand and make their way to the door. Roth gives the both of them a wave as they head out, but only Puri has the state of mind to wave back; EJ's barely paying attention.

The two of them hail a cab; Purity insists on paying. The driver's eyes are on them both from the beginning of the drive till they park, intent unclear, but they make it to a tall apartment building on the nicer part of town without issue - Purity's place. EJ recognized it vaguely from when she had last visited, but the name escaped her; not that it mattered, though. Payment was swiftly made and the pair exited, arm in arm, no one around on the cold city streets to watch them anymore. Peace again, at last.

-

A few flights of stairs and a pair of keys snaked from inside Purity's outfit later and the two women were inside. EJ gravitated towards the couch at first, but a heavy yawn made Purity insist that she head to bed, with the assurance that Puri would join her after a moment, and that there would be 'no funny business'. Though she wouldn't admit it, that made the wayward ghoul smile a bit; Purity and 'funny business' seemed as intertwined as leaves on a tree, but she wasn't sure her hostess would find it as funny. Regardless she does as told, waiting until Purity's gone to remove her coat and boots -

- and she's immediately reminded that those were the only things keeping her from bareness. Ugh. That was going to be hard to explain, huh? She slinks out of the borrowed garments so she might rush to borrow more: Purity's dresser is the target of a brazen panty-raid, the first drawer thrown wide...

Nope. Those were definitely not panties. EJ blushed like a nun in confession, quickly shutting the drawer and going to the subsequent one. Ahh, jackpot: all the underwear she could hope for. Obviously using one of Puri's bras would be like using a haystack to hide a needle, so she resolved to go topless; however, her panties fit well enough that she would be comfy wearing them to bed. A little black number with lace and a bow was slipped into without second thought, regaining some of the second-living's meager modesty.

Good timing, too - Purity opened the door only moments after the drawer had been shut once again, leaving EJ standing in a pile of Judas's clothes and clad only in what could conceal her undercarriage. Puri snickers when she sees this but doesn't comment; instead, she gestures with her head towards what she held in her hands: a pair of drinks. Wine, from the looks of it, something white and bubbly.

"Hey, you. I poured some wine for us to share. Front door's locked, windows are shut, blinds are pulled, lights are off... No chances of anyone weird trying to come get you in the night, ok? We can just have some wine, snuggle, and then hit the hay. You definitely seem like the type of girl who likes a good snuggle, right?"

Purity winks, smile spreading wide; EJ's own follows suit, her red-flecked eyes rolling in mock annoyance. There was no need to confirm anything or agree to the wine. Esper James slipped into bed while her hostess set the wine glasses on the nightstand, that little spike object snuck into the drawer when the blonde wasn't looking. Puri deigned not to undress, instead climbing in beside her guest with her outfit still fully zipped. It was smooth enough that it didn't quite catch on the similarly soft sheets, and soon the pair of them were wrapped up within one another's arms.

The wine went quickly, few words spoken to break up their sipping. EJ relished this feeling of security in Puri's embrace, the silence and sweetness of this moment together something she had rarely had recently. The date with Judas had been phenomenal, exhilarating, enticing... but Puri offered something more than just excitement. She made EJ feel comfortable just being herself; made her feel like she could really just relax. There was no need for pretense or posturing. She could exist, and that was enough.

The wine was gone before too long, and the glasses set aside once again on the nightstand. Puri's black-clad hands sat upon the blonde's body in a light, cozy way: the left on EJ's hip, the right caressing her face. Esper James couldn't help but lean into the caress.

"Alright, cutie, time for bed. Don't even worry about tomorrow, ok? I've got some friends who work for Tsang, I know their attendance policy; one day missed might get you a reaming, but it's better than going back there and facing her, right? Stay here, with me... let your boss cool off a bit. Just one day together, then you can go back if you'd like. Though, well..."

Purity smiled again, sweet to be bordering upon saccharine, her eyes half-lidded and locked on her ghoulette's lips.

"...you can stay here as long as you want, no questions asked. I know things are pretty fucked for you right now, but I've got no intentions of kicking you out while you're in a rough spot. I'll always be here to help. Got it?"

EJ nodded, her own eyes roaming up to Purity's own. There was a pang in the undead's chest, something that made her stomach feel strange and caused EJ to bite her own lower lip without thinking. Puri really was lovely, wasn't she? She was nice, and cool, and easy to be around, and a million other things that EJ didn't quite know how to say. It felt good to have her attention like this.

"Got it."

Puri's eyes twinkled, slowly shutting as she leaned in for a kiss; EJ returned it wholeheartedly. They sat like that for a few minutes, lips locked, eyes shut; Puri's hand left EJ's hip to click off the lamp on her nightstand, plunging the room into darkness save for the few shafts of moonlight that snuck through the blinds. Their kiss broke eventually, but the pair stayed close, bodies intertwined and breaths shared.

EJ almost wished she didn't need to sleep, if only so she could stay in this moment indefinitely.