LET US FROLIC IN THE DARKNESS

it  was  rare  that  he  could  find  himself  so  at  ease.      usually,     around  someone  with  a  similar  affiliation  to  his  own,     he  would  have  never  allowed  his  business  facade  to  drop.     she  was  a  risk  in  her  own  way,      capable  of  back  stabbing  him  at  any  moment.     though,     he  didn't  necessarily  actively  worry  about  such  a  thing.      there  was  too  much  between  the  two  of  them;      he  put  her  in  equal  danger,      it  was  a  mutual  trust.      ❝      she  does  it  on  purpose.     ❞      not  wanting  to  recount  the  times  that  a  pair  of  eyes  on  his  rug  had  startled  him,      he  simply  shakes  his  head.      having  a  cat  was  something  that  he  would  have  never  expected  in  his  youth.      a  small  animal  that  relied  completely  on  himself;     it  was  a  burden  to  some,     but  he  willingly  took  on  the  task. 

❝      are  you  her  lawyer  now?      ❞     a  laugh  behind  his  tone,      he  doesn't  mind  the  defense  of   hora.      never  was  he   truly   mad  about  her  antics,     in  a  way     -     they  kept  him  young.        had  it  not  been  for  the  kitten  and   momoka,      he  feared  that  he  would  have  withered  into  something  horrible  by  now.      it  was  those  two  that  kept  him  human,      they  stopped  him  from  feeling  like  a  complete  monster.      if  he  was  capable  of  looking  after  innocence,        then  he  could  not  have  been  all  that  bad. 

Their lives differed from that of the common folk. Any form of genuine connection always came with a risk in their line of work. Both affiliated with a criminal group of their own meant making sacrifices. Most people were kept at an arm’s length, and regarded with suspicion. Trust didn’t come easily with so many threats around. Anyone they opened their arms to could one day turn their back on them when they least expected it. It was unsurprising that it took a lot to warm up to each other — to find mutual trust. Over time things became easier, and their relationship bloomed into something more than they might have anticipated. 

“She is just keeping you entertained,” she muses, staring down at the kitten adoringly. “Without her around, I bet you would be cooped up in your house all day, brooding,” a brief chuckle escapes her throat, as she continues to give the small animal her undivided attention. In a life as grim as theirs, it was easy to drown in the depths of corruption that their work called for. A simple joy like owning a pet was able to fill a void in one’s apartment or heart — something she learned from experience.

it  was  rare  to  see  him  awake  so  early,      he  was  a  bit  of  a  night  owl   -   not  by  choice,   but  by  demand  of  his  job.      the  weekends  didn't   usually   allow  him  any  break,     not  unless  he  made  a  point  to  ignore  his  demands;      which  he  found  himself  doing  in  favor  of  spending  time  with  her  more  often.      if  his  empire  couldn't  survive  without  it's  ruler  for  a   day,      then  it  wasn't  all  that  strong  to  begin  with.      his  men  followed  strict  orders   &   could  typically  handle  most  encounters  on  their  own.      which  meant,     he  could  take  a  moment  to  enjoy  the  sight  of  her  cuddled  up  in  his  oversized  bed,     a  book  in  hand.        the  chill  that  ran  through  came  from  the  open  windows,      reaching  for  a   black  -  colored   fluffy  blanket  to  place  around  her  shoulders.        he  made  an  attempt  not  to  disturb  her  reading,      though   -     when  he  came  close,     her  attention  shifted  from  the  book. 

❝      was  i  interrupting  you?     ❞      he  asks,      her  hand  extended  towards  him.      for  once,     he  was  wearing  something  on  the  informal  side   -     all  in  black,        comfort  clothes  for  around  the  house.      yuno's  attention   had  shifted  in  an  instant,      from  the  book  to  himself.       her  demands  were  not  taken  poorly  by  him,     always  willing  to  give  into  her  newfound  clingy  attitude.      it  had  taken   time   to  break  the  ice,     for  both  of  them.     now  that  they  found  relief  in  each  other's  presence,      he  wasn't  going  to  deny  her  what  she  asked  of  him.    

Their lives were hectic, and jobs more than demanding. Often forced to fulfill their responsibilities at night, they both fell into a pattern of staying up way past a reasonable time. Mornings were usually reserved for much needed rest, whenever duty allowed. Rarely would they start their day so early, and yet, today seemed like an exception — both awake, but not quite ready to engage with what life had in store for them.

Holding onto the blanket tightly, she instinctively scooted closer. Similarly to him, she is dressed casually, in a black night gown not bothering just yet to dress up properly while in the comfort of his home. They were in no rush, and her state of undress at this time of the day wasn’t surprising. “You are never interrupting,” she reassures him, letting him shift the book so he had a better view of it. The cover is dark, grim with little left to imagination as to what it could be about — just as one might expect from her. “I’d rather spend time with you, the book can wait,” she admits in earnest, leg brushing against his own. “Even if it is really good right now,” she flashes him a playful smile. No matter how good the story was, she’d always take advantage of their time together.

his  fascination  didn't  have  much  of  an  origin.      remembering  days  of  watching   horror  movies   in  his  bedroom  after  classes.        he  was  fond  of  the  atmosphere  that  they  created,      this  room  looking  as  if  they  had  stepped  into  a   real   haunted  mansion.      cobwebs   &   antique  furniture,      it  had  an  air  of  abandonment.      though,     that  was  far  from  the  truth.      it  was   intentionally  set  up  this  way,     filled  with  actors  that  were  intended  to  jump  out  to  frighten  them  at  every  turn.        so  far,        SABU   had  not  so  much  as  flinched.      the  timing  was   too  predictable.        every  corner  held  a  new  face,      someone  trying  to  catch  them  off  -  guard. 

she  is  admiring  the  place,      giving  little  attention  to  those  trying  to  scare  them.      her  thoughts  clearly  elsewhere.        the  statement  that  she  comes  up  with  earns  a  soft   huff   of  a  laugh  from  him.        ❝      i   think   you  could  do  better  than  those.   ❞     looking  over  the  skeleton,      it  wasn't  necessarily  …  realistic.        ❝      next,     you'll  be  stringing  up   fake   spiderwebs   too.      ❞      he  wouldn't  put  such  a  thing  past  her,      she  had  a  dedication  to  the  macabre.        it  was  one  of  her  traits  that  he  was   fond   of;      not  wanting  her  to  ever   change.

The room looked like any other haunted mansion, and yet, it was captivating at times. Every corner had something of interest. and things to interact with. Every detail, small or big was intentional and carefully curated to make their experience a frightening one. While they were far from disturbed, they could still appreciate the effort that was put into the entire ordeal — even if certain elements felt cliche, and the actors barely got any reaction out of the two of them. They were a rather tough crowd to please. 

Her eyes return to him as he huffs out a laugh. No longer focused on the decorations surrounding them, she takes a moment to bask in this sweet moment. “Of course I could do better,” she says as if it was a given. “In fact, I am already doing it better,” oh ever so humble. “Spiderwebs, bats, candles do sound like a nice addition,” he knew of her grim interests and style well, having seen her darkly decorated apartment on numerous occasions. She had plenty of things that her gothic heart desired that she proudly displayed.