In her dreams, EJ soared; freed from the bounds of earth she flew, eyes bright and shining, long blonde hair gently waving in her wake. Stars glistened in an endless cosmos around her, and comets zoomed by both near and far to streak glowing lines through the dark. She felt as though she could go anywhere, do anything; the planets which lingered betwixt those other celestial bodies were ripe to explore, and hers was an endless well of ambition and optimism. This star-world, this galaxy, was hers to enjoy. It felt good. It felt right.

Then, something caught her eye. Slowly, slowly, something small and shiny was traveling thru the aether towards her, whirling as it went. No bigger than a pea, it was moving only as fast as a brisk walk, and she could easily avoid it... And yet, watching it, it mesmerized her. Something about it was fascinating to her, in such a way as to be incomparable. What was it? Where had it come from? The offshoot of a star or comet, perhaps, or some composite formed from that ancient schism which had formed the universe? The remnants of a spaceship, or her crew? A gift from some higher being that the ghoulette was unable to comprehend?

But as the mote of metallic matter drew closer, closer, closer, her wonder grew to obsession. She felt frozen in place now as the object gently tumbled ever onwards, on a direct collision course for her body. She wouldn't mind it; she was dead already, after all. Nothing could harm her, and if it was truly deadly, she would simply sidestep it. The power in her body, the power of choice and decision, was infinite - no minute spacebound object would be able to truly harm her. Right?

Only too late did she realize what it was.

The sliver of silver pierced her sternum and tore her apart, shredding her into confetti and red, splinters of her body shattered like wet glass. Her very essence was scattered across that beautiful, breathtaking cosmos she had envisioned, and as the lights faded and her vision dimmed, she felt a deep pit of fear and regret envelope her and consume that wonder and power she had earlier held. Her body was split into millions of millions of minute shards; every last one was thrown about the cosmos with wild abandon, no rhyme or reason to it. It was a permanent end, one where she had been strewn throughout the infinite sea of light and stars, where her essence was present in all places but wherein she herself was absent. Cathartic, but terrifying. Horrible, but providing closure.

-

She awoke with a start. Purity's arms were still wrapped around her torso, twin vines of shiny black which concealed warm, soft flesh, keeping her close like a creeper vine. The bubblegum-haired club girl snoozed gently into EJ's ear, her light breaths smelling in equal parts booze and candy. She always managed to smell so good... Maybe she knew that ghouls had a heightened sense of it? She was a bit of a chaser, after all...

Esper James shook the thoughts away, snuggling back in to enjoy the sleeping embrace she was gifted with. Purity was everything she was not: tall, confident, elegant, sexual, comforting, alive... whereas Esper James was a timid, dead waif; a drifter on the tides of life and death.

No. She scowled softly in the dark of the bedroom, looking more to herself than anyone else. EJ may be dead, and she may have been a frightful, quailing little lass in the past, but... fuck it. She was done with that. Done with that life. At the very least she would try to be, try to be more than she had been in the past - being pushed around, being abused, being toyed with like some kind of porcelain doll, it had all worn away at her. Unlife had been hard enough without the constant grinding of her soul against the pavement by practically everyone around her.

Her teeth grit, brow set, and eyes shut. Now wasn't the time to be angry. She was in bed with a beautiful woman who loved(?) her and who wanted the best for her. Judas had been enticing, but that was as much Stockholm syndrome as it was genuine attraction - finally receiving positive attention and adoration from her boss after being beaten down so savagely year after year was a toxin, a sweet poison that intoxicated her into thinking that they had been more than they were. Judas had been a manipulator even then, even during their date; trying to lull her into some sense of security, of safety. Fuck that.

Esper James snuggled up closer to Purity, resting her face on the other woman's chest and taking a deep breath. Living flesh, perfume, and the subtle scent of her suit filled EJ's mind; below them, the rest of the room's aromas lingered. Then, of course, there was the smell of sleep, that inescapable scent that the resting forms of the living gave off - hard to describe, but anyone who had once known life could place it if they caught it. It was peaceful. Cozy, even.

Purity's arms squeezed tighter, pressing their bodies flush upon one another. Esper James sighed in return, letting the darkness of the bedroom wander into her mind as her flesh tingled with the sensation of being held, reveling in this peace and quiet, knowing that she wouldn't get it much longer... There was no way Judas would allow her to simply slip away into the ether, and she was employed by Tsang. There would be hell to pay if she didn't show up to work today, and if she didn't crop up tomorrow? Well, let's just say hell would be preferable.

Unbeknownst to her, Puri's eyes cracked for just a moment - looking down at that tender blonde head, wondering what she was thinking, what she was dreaming. A latex-lined hand gave EJ a squeeze before its owner's eyes shut up tight. Tomorrow was a new day... A day without whatever had been troubling her poor little ghoul.

-

The sun came in like spotlights from heaven, caught by Purity's curtains but still far brighter than the ghoulette was used to. She stretched as she awoke for the second time that morning, feeling more refreshed and comfortable than she had after her dream - looking over and seeing Purity slowly rouse from sleep bolstered these feelings, imbuing her with a sense of security, of normalcy. There was a sort of joy in this mundane awakening, one that tingled at the chest. EJ reached over to caress the other woman's cheek, lips spreading in as sweet a smile as such a fanged mouth can make.

Purity returned the favor as she shook herself awake: her sleek black palm went to EJ's thigh, her lips split to reveal rows of perfect ivory, her eyes (still daubed with makeup; she had neglected to wipe any away, instead heading straight to bed) crinkled with mirth even as they opened. Her other hand came up to take EJ by the back of the head and pull her back down, their lips meeting in a soft, passionate kiss; Esper James was past the point with Puri where it surprised her or made her nervous, and Purity wasn't trying to rile her up. Yet, anyways. They became entangled within one another's arms within moments, a shared kiss broken only for neither to truly pull away, holding their respective partner close.

Finally Puri broke the embrace, pushing EJ back to a sitting position before rising to join her. Her legs swung round beneath the covers and heels touched the carpet with a soft 'whump'; she raised herself to stand, full body revealed within the dim room. Esper James couldn't help but stare, at least a bit - she had Purity all to herself, didn't she? Least she could do was savor it.

"Alright... good morning, sleepyhead. Sleep well? Have good dreams?"

Puri laughed like tinkling glass or ringing bells, catching the ghoul's heart in a feverish grip. EJ nodded after a moment more to stare, swallowing hard as she rushed to respond.

"Y-Yeah. I slept like a rock, haha... Thanks, y'know, for letting me stay here. I promise I'll get in your hair as soon as I can, I just... fuck. It's been really rough, ok? I know I spilled my guts last night, which fucking sucked I'm sure, but-"

"Hush, shhh, baby, it's ok. It's ok. You don't need to feel bad about what other people put you through, ok? Or, like, you don't need to feel like it's your fault. Your boss... Judas, right? She doesn't respect you. Don't feel like she owns you, or like what she does to you is because you somehow deserve it, alright?"

I'm all you need, anyways, is what Purity wished she could say. She wished she could say plenty more, in fact - words of sweetness and comfort but also just possessive enough that she held back. Remembering that earlier gift, the collar, she had made those sorts of intentions clear - however, in the face of Judas's treatment of the poor secretary, to say it would be in bad taste to bring it up would be an understatement.

Purity stretched, arms raised up, back arched in just such a way that the little light in the room caught on her bodysuit and gave her curvature a pleasant shine. Winding back down she turned to face EJ, extending a hand to help her up; it was taken without a word, and soon the two were standing mere inches from one another.

"Theeeeeere we go. Why don't you- or, why don't we go shower, hmm? You look friggin' adorable with bedhead, but I doubt either of us want to laze around all day in, well... Y'know. Plus I need an excuse to take this suit off - I was a little drunk last night and didn't want to go through the hassle of taking it off, but now I think I should put on normal clothes."

She laughs, again that chime of bells, and Esper James joins her. The ghoulette stands, and the sudden touch of room-temperature air against her almost fully bare body reminds her that she didn't wear pajamas tonight - hell, she didn't even have a bra on, just that stolen pair of panties. Her flesh prickled at the coolness of the room.

"Sure! I guess we could save water that way, haha... Besides, I'm still a little shaky. Wouldn't mind someone to hold me up...!"

EJ's smile was so sweet, so genuine - Purity nodded, grinning, but her eyes were just a touch more mischievous than her seductress smile might imply. Oh yes, EJ, honey, we'll be 'saving water'...

And so, in they went. The bathroom was even chillier than the bedroom, but Purity started the water and soon that was done away with; now came their undressing. EJ waited patiently, not wanting to be the first of the two to be rendered nude, while Puri's hands lingered at the neckline of the suit. As she tugged down, beginning to free her damp, silken flesh, she eyed her little girl toy with a twinkle in her eye.

"Hey, EJ, why don't you help me with this? It's a bit of a process to get in and out of, so I don't wear it so often... but with a lovely assistant like you, I'm sure we can get it going a bit quicker, hmm~?"

That was just what EJ wanted to hear. She nearly stumbles over herself to help the other woman free herself from her skin-tight prison, trembling hands against warm skin to help peel the dark black material off of her; it only took a few minutes, but Purity may have been making it linger just to tease her houseguest.

Once she was bare she gave a gentle twirl, letting her assistant have a reward in the form of a lovely view - EJ silently appreciated it, hands still holding the discarded suit like a forgotten molt. Not a very sexy comparison, really. Her viewing session was interrupted by Purity slipping into the shower, hiding away once again; EJ was once more alone outside the shower. Or, so she thought.

Now it was Purity's turn to watch, a smug grin plastered above her jawline, her head snaked around the curtain to ogle the other girl. The secretary bit her lower lip as her thumbs sunk between the waistband of the borrowed undergarments, feeling her blood begin to pump faster by measures; her womanhood was revealed and the panties cast aside, their previous wearer simply looking back at Purity.

"And don't steal my panties again, got it~? I'll get you a nightgown or a blanket or something to wear until we can buy you some real clothes, but those are mine, haha!"

It was joking, sure, but EJ's face still flushed crimson with a slow wash of shame; she stepped into the shower by Purity's head, finding her welcome arms waiting behind the curtain to snatch her up as soon as she crossed the shower's threshold.

To gloss over details unsuitable for pleasant company, the pair's shower did anything but save water - by time EJ was released from Purity's grip she was almost as tired as when she awakened, but she was satisfied - not just physically, but emotionally, the reassurance of touch and play from the other woman soothing her in a way she couldn't fully describe. Sex was well and good, but it was the knowing that Purity liked her that felt good; it was the intimacy of the act, the joining of two bodies into one, the unspoken push and pull of a strange and instinctual dance that massaged her heart and muscles simultaneously.

In the end they were both left panting, wet with indoor rain, and smiling at one another - it only took a moment for Purity to wrap EJ back up in a big warm hug, nuzzling the crown of her lover's head and giggling into it. EJ returned the favor and gave her a squeeze with both arms, bodies pressed together in the newly-humid bathroom.

No words were shared as the pair dried off; none were needed. Eventually the pair strolled out of the room and out towards the bedroom once again, leaving their clothes where they lay in favor of finding new garments from Purity's extensive wardrobe. The pink-haired hostess herself donned some classy brown chinos and a cozy black turtleneck - EJ was swaddled in a plain black hoodie with a pair of grey sweatpants with 'AIM HERE' across the rear, both of which were a touch too big for her. Puri thought it was cute, at least, and that was good enough.

Moving to the living room, EJ plopped down onto the couch like a sack of potatoes, still tired from their earlier ordeal but now letting her body rest. Purity went to the kitchen to order some takeout, eschewing leaving the apartment in favor of more time with her gal pal in hiding. On the TV, some dated anime was playing on a midday re-run marathon; Esper James settled in, eyes glazing over as the characters went through their motions, her focus running wild.

She thought of her dream, of the silver bullet. She brought her hand down to her chest, fingers tracing her sternum, up and down and up again to try and find an entry wound... nothing. It had truly just been a dream, even if it felt so... real. Then, a thump came from Puri's window - something tapping at it. She turned her head to see and felt her heart drop into her chest, a scream rising out of her with nearly volcanic force.

There, at the window sill, sat a cat, with deep blue-black fur and eyes like topaz. When it hissed at her, it almost seemed to be smiling.

She felt herself drawn back to her dreams, to her hallucinations, to her nightmares.