The Fifth Night

It is the fifth night since the long lost Scarlet cousin had finally returned home.

Just this morning, I carried my ward into the forbidden wing, spiriting them away in their sleep. After finding the clues I had left for them, they made their way down to the music room. I spokw with them, told them the essential truths they needed to know. What I could tell them, at any rate.

They were deeply troubled by the revelations, their thoughts and emotions a chaotic cascade running rampant through their mind.

I was preparing to leave, having told them everything they needed to know, when they approached me—seemingly to the surprise of us both.

It had not been easy keeping my distance. The yearning, aching desire to be near my missing piece was an intense drive at all times—but it grew in intensity the closer we were to each other. Currently it was threatening to burst forth and lose control.

I was unsure how much my ward may have felt it, how aware of the drive they may have been. It was true that their eyes seemed drawn to mine whenever I observed them from afar, but I couldn't be sure that they were consciously meeting my gaze.

Judging by their current proximity it was very likely that they, too, felt that magnetic pull–even if it was merely subconscious.

The distance between the two of us was shorter than I generally allowed this vessel, outside of emergencies. I was well aware that the cage around my afferent form was increasingly repulsive, so I wished to spare them the natural revulsion it would no doubt provoke.

As things were, even a modicum of rejection from the object of my desire would be too painful–no matter how unintentional or instinctive it may have been on the part of my ward.

And yet, here they were...inching ever closer.

"What are you?" they asked, their voice catching uncertainly in their throat.

This question again. Despite having given previous answers, being asked the same thing again gave me a momentary pause.

"I'm yours. If you'll have me." I was eventually able to produce another response by allowing myself to show some vulnerability. I just hoped it wouldn't bely my haunting desperation.

They reciprocated, much to my delight. The specific words we exchanged didn't matter as much as the events that followed.

The uneven flooring caused them to fall back against the wall. My vessel was pulled forward instinctively, as if drawn by an invisible thread. My left hand reached out behind them, steadying myself on the wall and locking them in place. I leaned down, inexorably drawn closer by that magnetic pull, and breathlessly made them the offer that I'd been longing to, ever since they had arrived in the town—the prison—that trapped us both.

I steeled myself for rejection as the veil fluttered in the sparse distance between us, punctuated with each breath.

"Will this make me fall apart? Like you?" their eyes explored mine, as though they were trying to pierce behind the veil in their desperation for answers.

"No. You don't have to worry about this happening to you. Not if we do things right." I paused, pressing against the hidden bonds that limit what I could tell them. "I'm being...rejected."

Their eyebrows raised with quizzical concern as they attempted to parse this.

"But a fleeting moment with you will be bliss for us both," I tried to reassure them, all the while trying not to reveal how badly I wanted them to acquiesce. "No pain, no lingering aftermath but pleasure."

Their enthusiastic consent was a pleasant surprise, tinged with my relief at their acceptance.

I reached the vessel's free arm towards their throat, before wrapping my hand around the back of their neck so that the palm cradled the base of the skull.

After a breath, I continued. I uncoiled the tendrils from within my vessel, and allowed their exit through the body's wrist before gently probing my tendrils into the back of my ward's neck.

My missing piece looked up at me with an uncertain but ultimately trusting expression. Their body reacted, initially with a flinch before instinctively fighting against the sudden intrusion as this strange new sensation spread from the back of their neck, up the throat, and beyond.

I used the vessel's right hand to hold them firmly by the nape as I squirmed my way further inside. Upon reaching my destination, I was able to flip the internal switch to override their body's defenses before I spread ever further inside of them.

Their body stopped fighting against me and started to welcome my presence, their eyes becoming unfocused as pleasure began to flood their senses.

My roots probed further down their spine, careful not to spread too deep—despite my longing to, despite how good I know it would feel to give into that temptation. Eventually I was forced to use the body's left arm to catch my ward as their legs gave out from under them. I held them close to my vessel as I penetrated deeper into theirs.

My breathing became more labored as I focused intently on the afferent fibers binding us directly together. I could feel the vessel's jaw go slack as my focus strayed for a moment too long. Blood began to drip down the vessel's chin, but I didn't allow myself to care for a few fleeting seconds.

It was bliss...but I knew I had to stop. Now. Despite my deepest desires, I began to withdraw my tendrils from their body.

Even as I drew back, I could feel them cling desperately to me, their fascia not wanting to let me go. They slumped weakly to the floor as I tried to gently deposit their body along gravity's pull.

Once fully withdrawn, I took a step back and gazed down at their crumpled form, admiring my handiwork. I had made such a mess of them, after all.

Their hair was unbrushed, their nightclothes unkempt. Stains mark where my vessel had made contact with their body. Their eyes were unfocused, their breathing was rapid and shallow. Their face was flushed and their skin had erupted with goosebumps, their bodyhair standing on end. Euphoric tears streamed from their eyes as they tried desperately to focus, looking hazily towards me.

I tried to catch my breath as I adjusted the vessel's sleeve, and suddenly noticed that something about my missing piece had changed. Their eyes were different, the bright color now mirroring my own. Proof of our brief union.

"Think of that as a kiss," On later reflection, I realized that perhaps it was an inadequate word to describe what the two of us had truly just shared. I still found human languages ill-suited to expressing myself.

The sheer exercise in willpower and control it had taken to disengage from them was immense, but I am nothing if not patient. Soon. Victory was in my grasp, I just had to wait two days. A pittance in my vast existence.

I then took my leave. Even as I parted, my eyes could not bear to leave theirs. The golden gaze we shared brought forth a faint curl to my vessel's bloody lips, even long after my ward had left my vision.

While their new eye color may not last much longer than the other pleasant aftereffects of our kiss, the knowledge that our fleeting contact had left its mark on them filled me with a protective, possessive satisfaction. It wouldn't be long until their eyes were permanently altered. In due time.

…

After recovering their composure–as well as they could manage, given the circumstances–they set about their day. Initially, they fled from the house, looking utterly disheveled.

I observed patiently from a window as they clumsily failed to close the front door. I stared out, unblinking, even long after they had already vanished from view. I observed the storm clouds that were gathering in the distance. It would be troublesome if it began to rain, but there was little I could currently do about it.

I was confident that they would be able to follow the clues I had left them...the rest was up to them. We would reunite once they had found their way to the correct path.

Despite the panic and unease that flooded their body after the remnants of our kiss had faded, they managed to accomplish a great deal in a short amount of time. They had trusted what I said about Tabitha, and used the striking workers to their advantage to distract their cousin. Out of this, they even had prepared a gift for me—though they would not become fully aware what they had done when they had spoken to Isaacs.

After changing from the old vessel to the new one, I moved from the house to join them. I briefly observed them from the trees as they followed the path to the farm. By now their eyes had returned to normal, confirming my suspicions. But it didn't matter in the long run—I just needed to be patient.

I approached them just before they completely lost themselves to the siren song of the Seal. I had expected–hoped–that they would recognize me despite the...change of outfit...and I was not disappointed.

As they grappled with the Seal's influence, they seemed surprised—but not completely disquieted by my new appearance. At first there was a bit of uncertainty in their expression, and–after a moment of comprehension—perhaps even a fleeting moment of sadness for the person they had previously spoken to, before they had set him on the path to a collision with me.

I gave them a moment to collect their thoughts, sensing their reeling mind's struggle to tune out the background cacophony.

After a brief pause, I could tell that they had accepted the unintended consequences of their actions and had made their peace with it. It seemed that I took a higher precedent in their mind, higher even than the wellbeing of the human companions that they had been so insistent on championing—despite my warnings to not waste their time. Good.

We spoke only briefly. After sending them off with words of encouragement, all I could do was wait.

…

Time crawled by, agonizingly slow without their presence within my reach. The storm clouds had finished gathering overhead, and a downpour began. I were so grateful that my ward had sent Isaacs to find me. Had I been inside of Wayne's body, this rain would have been a terrible setback.

This thought made the lips of my vessel curl at the edges. Even if they weren't conscious of it, their actions were pursuant to my goals. And why wouldn't they have been? After all, the bond we shared...

Once they reappeared, I breathed a sigh of relief and immediately moved to be by their side once more.

Having successfully utilized the weapon I had left for them against The Witch, my missing piece and the Witch's new—no, that wasn't right. My ward and the The Magical Girl—had emerged near the church.

Magical Girl? This foreign term slotted easily into reality, subsuming the title of Witch in my perception. I knew better than to question my intuition on the matter, accepted the change, and moved on. It didn't change much in the long run, after all.

Before dusk had fully fallen, the prodigal Scarlet had managed to smooth things over with Tabitha—at least enough to avoid ending up behind bars for the foreseeable future. Their incitement of the striking miners was swept under the rug as an accident and it had been decided that the two cousins would settle their issues after a good night's rest. Tabitha had even permitted them to return to the guest room in the Estate, though it didn't escape my notice that she apparently felt safer spending the night elsewhere.

Now my ward tosses and turns fitfully in the bed, struggling to find sleep. Finally, they sit upright, admitting an impasse with their own body. They look around the room, mostly blind in the darkness.

I watch from nearby, my new host body granting a slightly different vantage from the one I had grown accustomed to over the past two weeks.

"Wa—" they suddenly call out. "Is—" they attempt one name–then another–before faltering. Their voice is uncertain and full of longing. "Um, are you there?"

"I am," I approach, revealing my presence from the darkness.

I catch the moment their eyes automatically sweep above the current host's head before settling lower to meet my gaze. They had gotten used to the height of the last one, I realize. It doesn't matter in the grand scheme of things. These vessels are only temporary, after all.

"Is it—?" they struggle to figure out what exactly they want to say. "Can I—?"

"Ask what you will. I will give what answers I can." I patiently coax the question out of them, bringing myself slightly closer so they have an easier time seeing me in the moon's light.

"If it's safe—please hold me? If you can, that is—I just—" they begin to babble a bit, looking shaken from the events of the day. Despite their success with the Witch and mitigating the situation at the farm, the week's events have clearly taken a toll on them.

"It is safe for this body to embrace you," I state matter-of-factly. I stare down at them, unblinking, gauging the distance between my current body and theirs.

While it is safe to have contact with them, I am not sure how much longer I can hold back—after this morning's kiss. Temptation grows ever stronger.

They reach out and hand to me, drawing my focus once more. Their pitiful expression of longing almost hurts to look at.

I sigh and immediately decide to oblige them, despite my misgivings.

I sit beside them in the bed and wrap my arm around their shoulders. I have to adjust the host's position a bit, still getting a feel for the new physicality I embody. The height is different, as is the general build. These factors determine my every move. I always operate with caution no matter which vessel I inhabit, so I don't bring harm to my ward. Humans are so delicate, and I especially don't want to hurt this one.

At first, they settle uncertainly against the vessel's frame, their pulse betraying the fact that they are feeling a bit nervous. I can't help but notice a slight tremor, but that's not unusual. It's been their constant companion since their arrival, and has only increased in recent days. Their emotions have stretched to a breaking point from the events of the day–no, the whole week.

The two of us sit in comfortable silence together as they finally begin to relax, their head coming to rest on the new body's shoulder.

Being this close to them is exhilarating, but I force my breath to remain calm and even. They don't need to know how desperate my longing feels.

They shift and look up at me, suddenly studying my new face in the darkness. Their face is startlingly close to mine. I suppose that even with their keen eyes, they can only see so well in the dark. They have human limitations, after all.

I meet their gaze, but say nothing. I wonder what thoughts might be racing through their mind at the moment. I can see perfectly fine in the dark, fixedly aware of every exquisite detail of their appearance. Looking into their eyes reminds me with a brief pang that they have gone back to their normal color.

They reach out haltingly to touch this body's face. I can see their face flush with embarrassment as they break some kind human social taboo.

It takes me a moment to realize that they must be dealing with the conflicting emotions of being in such close proximtiy with this vessel. The original owner had always kept a certain amount of distance from people, and my ward hadn't been particularly close with him. I suppose it makes sense that there would be some sort cognitive dissonance about this situation. Human concerns are so small and fleeting...I honestly find it charming.

"What is it?" as I ask this, I realize that amusement has crept into my voice.

"Is it–" a pause as they withdraw slightly, their embarassment taking over. "Is it...strange that I want to kiss you? Not like this morning's kiss, but—"

I decide to grant them a small mercy and grasp their face with my hands before drawing them in even closer. Their stream of rambling words turns to silence once my new body's lips meet theirs.

They let out a short gasp of surprise before fully reciprocating. Leaning forward, the straddle my lap as I hold them close.

While it doesn't hold a candle to this morning's intimate experience, I do find this more…human kiss to be enjoyable. Again I reflect on the fact that human courtship is so charming to me–at least as long as it involves my ward.

They draw back, catching their breath for a moment. "Thank you for…indulging me. I wasn't sure how weird it would be, since—"

"Do not feel ashamed because you knew this body's previous inhabitant. Any desire you feel towards me is only natural, no matter the vessel. Our bond transcends human attraction... and societal norms." I tilt my head at this last bit, a wry smile playing on the corner of my lips.

"Oh. Right," they smile sheepishly, now agonizingly aware that I had noticed their conflicted emotions.

Neither of us move, caught in a loop of studying each other. We both want to ask questions–to take actions–but neither of us feels quite prepared to proceed.

Even in the dark I am aware of the deepening flush that stains their cheeks.I decide to wait patiently, certain that my patience will outlast theirs.

Finally, they fold—a prisoner to our shared desires. "Umm, can you..." they glance away, their face burning with radiant warmth. When they continue the query, their voice is smaller–more awkward. "Can you kiss me like you did this morning?"

"I can," I smile knowingly and reach out a hand to gently hold their face. "But only a kiss, do you understand? At least for another two days."

"I know," they obediently rest their head in the outstretched hand, adjusting to the unfamilar grasp.

I cradle the back of their neck once more, allowing my tendrils to extend and return to the same entry point I had utilized earlier this morning.

It's easier this time, their body accepting me more readily. It fights against me less as my roots travel the now familiar corridors of their internal structures. I don't have to sedate them as much as I had previously. This allows them to experience the same enjoyment as before, now coupled with new alertness.

Our foreheads almost meet, and this time I get to watch–up close and personal–as the change overtakes their eyes. Once the golden gaze reflects back at me, I draw their lips back to my vessel's.

They slump forward, their body immediately collapsing under the perceptual onslaught of simultaneous kisses barraging them from inside and out.

I take advantage of this sensory overwhelm to leave a secret gift, hidden deep, deep inside. I carve the message into their essence, one meant just for them. They won't be aware of it, but it will be there–waiting for the moment they will need it most. But that is for another day; now I can focus on the pleasure at hand.

I draw my tendrils back slightly, dialing down the intensity for my charge, not allowing them to become totally lost in the enjoyment. As I do, I move down to kiss their throat, my vessel's lips feeling the pulsations of my afferent true form inside them.

It's fascinating, how close I can get to completely engulfing their existence while still remaining technically separate. I run the vessel's tongue over their neck, exploring the path of my roots from the outside, before finally returning my new lips to theirs.

Their throat lets out a ragged, keening sound of desperation, muffled against my lips. They desperately fight against the feeling of me pulling away, but we both know I must disengage from them. For now.

I cradle the back of their head, their face pressed against my chest. Carefully, I begin to reel myself back in, extracting my tendrils from their body to return to mine.

This makes them whine a bit, pitiful in their longing to remain united with me.

"I know," I state matter-of-factly, attempting to comfort and placate them. "But we can't. Not yet. Soon, though."

They look like they want to argue, but I won't let them. Before my fibers fully retract, I grant them the gift of a restful sleep. It's the least I can do, given what they have been through...and what they will be forced to face whenever they next awaken.

Their eyes–glowing, golden–flutter as they struggle to stay awake, to stay with me. Alas, this is not a fight they will win. Their breathing shifts as sleep overtakes them, their body finally fully relaxing.

I delicately move them onto their side, next to me. Normally I would take my leave now, giving them the space they need to make their choices without undue influence. This time, however...I don't force myself to move away. Instead, I bask in their proximity, craving to maintain this moment of peace for as long as possible.

Eventually I am forced to reposition the vessel slightly, sinking further into the bedding next to them. I observe as the light of dawn starts to creep through the windows, acutely aware of the body next to mine. Each breath, the pulse of blood in their veins, the flicker of eyes, deep in a REM phase. I wonder briefly about their dreams. Hopefully this sleep will grant them some reprieve from the waking nightmare of being in this web.

In a few hours, the one slumbering next to me will be expected to rise and face whatever terrors this day has in store for them. But I'll be by their side.

All that remains is the rest of this new day–and tomorrow. Tomorrow marks the day of the funeral. And after that–if all goes to plan–the ceremony. My ceremony. A wedding, of sorts.

Just one more day, that's all. One. More. Day.

For now, my precious missing piece deserves to rest.