Shorts

Her house had always looked rather empty.

Spacious, a pleasant place, wasted in its entirety on one woman. She was known to be a bit of a recluse, she lived alone, worked alone, ate alone, slept alone. At least, that was what they imagined, watching the lady in the gray dress walk home at night. a briefcase by her side, and oddly cheerful bob to her step as she strode by. One would be hard-pressed to find a more mysterious woman than her in the neighborhood. The house stood quietly near the sparser edge of Asle, where the higher buildings began to thin out and shorten. Thick black curtains always hung in the windows, light never entering or leaving, though occasionally her pale hands would push the kitchen window open, the breeze shoving past the blackouts rather rudely to swirl within.

In reality, Virbra was far from lonely.

The door creaked open, a thick sigh creeping inwards, the rash scent of fogged smoke tearing into the stagnant air until the door fell shut heavily, before the clack of her shoes coming off, followed by footsteps heading further into the home. Her soft steps echoed, creeping along the walls and down the hallway, the pad of her socks against the hardwood rather comforting. The silence was nice, compared to the hurried murmur of the outside. The thick darkness was encompassing, swallowing her into it like a pair of jaws snapping her up, a blanket of cold warmth settling over her. She shut her eyes, the silence growing loud as she passed further in, coming to a cavernous dimness. She blinked hard a few times, her eyes still adjusting as she felt her way along, setting her briefcase on the table before she stripped of her coat, resting it on the back of one of the seats. She paused, leaning on her palms against the table, sighing quietly. Peace and quiet, fin-

The darkness pooled, thickening in the corner for a moment before it began to take steps, a thick shroud along the floor seeming to thicken into a roiling soup, building up slowly, coursing up a pair of legs that then lengthened, a body plucking itself from the swarm of shadows, a head solidifying from the wisps and fumes, a thick weave of solid, inky black running from the figure’s head to it’s shoulders as a pair of arms sprouted from it’s shoulders, shadows dripping from their hands as the shadowy body sidled up behind Virbra, gently setting a pair of thin, soft arms around her waist as her head came to rest on the woman’s shoulder.

“Welcome home.” Came the most gentle of whispers, barely a noise in the hissing silence as it crept into her ear, pulling itself in deeper, the addicting accent coating the words hooking itself, embedding itself into Virbra’s head. Virbra couldn’t help but smile, setting one of her hands on the shadow’s, letting herself melt into the embrace, her posture softening as her eyes fell shut once more.

“Hi Uv.” She muttered, nearly just a whisper, not daring break the silence. The gentle chill of the woman behind her brought Virbra closer, enticing her to lean back a little bit. “Missed me?” She added, grasping the hand in her hold, the other still on the table, though she no longer leaned on it, rather just resting her hand on it, idly brushing against the roughly hewn leather of her briefcase’s handle.

“A little.” Came the response, that soft whisper caressing her cheek. The shaded arms pulled her a little closer, a smooth, chilled surface nuzzling itself into Virbra’s neck. Uvlet was content to stand like that for the rest of the night, the embrace was enough, but she doubted Virbra wanted to stand by the table all day. Uvlet let go finally, taking a short step back as she tucked her arms behind herself, her arms melting against her, the distinction between her limbs and her torso hard to make out, they seemed to meld as they touched. Even with the short distance, anything she said wouldn’t have made it from her… Mouth, to Virbra’s ears.

Virbra turned to face Uvlet, resting back against the table. “Well… It’d be nice to take a shower, am I allowed?” She asked with a light humor to her voice, raising an eyebrow with a prodding curiosity.

Uvlet brought a hand to her chin, pausing for a moment before tentatively nodding. Virbra chuckled, moving to pass by to the hallway toward their room, but was stopped, a pair of hands snagging hers and pulling her close once more. Uvlet hugged her tight, cold arms wrapped around Virbra's torso below her arms. Virbra hesitated, arms raised slightly, before she let them fold inwards, wrapping around Uvlet's shoulders and tucking into her hair. It felt like pressing her hands into cold but pliable clay, comfortingly reminiscent of her childhood.

"After this. I needed this." Uvlet whispered, voice like a rustle among trees, before turning her head to set her cheek against Virbra's shoulder. The taller, more corporeal, woman sighed quietly, holding the shadow close.

"Take as long as you need."