Dark Embrace

LXVIII - Decisive Resolution

My heart is pounding as I approach the showers. I try to convince myself... Ah, who am I kidding, it's not because I ran, is it?

Oh boy.

I push on and enter the small hallway. There's silence.

She hasn't started showering yet. I hope at least she's already in one of the booths. I don't want to accidentally walk in on her naked. D— do I?

I start moving my legs towards the room with the shower booths. Every step, a heartbeat. With trembling hands, I open the door...

...and there she is. Just stepping into the booth, without clothes, facing away from me. To the creek of the door, she looks back above her shoulder. A smirk seemingly involuntarily runs across her face.

"You came..."

Not just yet, Blair! Let's not be hasty!

I'm trying really hard to keep eye contact.

"I— I— I— I just brought you this!" I lift up my shower gel. Then, realizing, quickly swap to hers. "Y— you left it in the dorm..."

She turns to me. Oh god, she's turning to me! I stare at the ceiling, feeling like my face is about to burn off.

Blair walks up to take the bottle.

"Did you want me to use your towel as well? Or, are you joining me?" Her alluring voice is torture. She walks back to the booth, and I swear her hips sway way more than usual. I can't look at them, even if she's putting on a show.

I don't dare.

I would lose it.

As she closes the frosted glass door and turns the water on, I feel like I can breathe again. I scurry over to the booth on the other side, undress, and hop into the shower. For now, I'm definitely locking the door.

Hoping that the water might clear up my head, I start showering.

What am I doing? What should I do? Am I too far? Will she take it as an insult? Was she waiting for me to... go into her booth? I don't remember hearing her lock the door. Oh, god. Maybe just the booth next to hers? That would've been a good middle ground, I guess. Goddamnit, Lailah!

"Whatcha thinkin' about?" She yells over.

"Wha— nothing!"

"I can hear the gears grinding in your head!"

"Well..." Maybe a more jovial approach will convince her I didn't mean it as an insult? "Sure, cuz all you can think of is 'grinding'!"

She laughs. That's good!

"Did you at least take a look?"

"Of what?"

"My ass! I know it looks better without the jeans on."

Now I laugh, mostly in nervousness.

"No, no I didn't look!"

"That's disappointing."

"Wh— you were naked, I wasn't! It didn't seem fair!" I— Look, don't ask. I'm trying, okay?

"Oh, you want me to take a look at your ass?"

"Yes, please, that would make me so happy!" I mock her. I think.

"You're playing a dangerous game, girl," she echoes her warning from before. "You're just one step away from the beast you're poking."

I lean forward, out of the stream to look to the side. I can barely see her form there's so many layers between us.

"I'm four booths away! And I'm locked in!" The distance does give me the confidence to be stupid. "Do your worst!"

As I squint through the water, her form seemingly stops moving as she turns the water off. Then it... slowly dissipates, as I see shadows emerge from behind me.

"You were saying?" I hear her sultry voice from right behind me. She leans her back against mine. At least she's facing away... I guess... 

The water runs down both of us as the tension rises.

"So~" She drags out the word, alluring all the way. Then, she bumps my butt with hers. "Is this happenin'?"

My body is ready. Oh, is it ever ready. But my mind...

...

Goddamnit, mind! Fuck you! I'm doin' it!

"Umbra me..." I whisper.

"You sure?" I feel her turning her head to the side to look at me. I do the same, looking at her determined.

"Yeah, I'm sure. I can control it, it will be me, I just..." I look down at the floor for only a moment. "...need it to drown out the world."

"As long as you're sure..."

She begins channeling, I stare into her soul, as both of us turn to face each other. My determined expression quickly melts into one of yearning. My lips come apart.

"You're conscious?" She asks, softly.

"Yeah," I whisper back.

"What's your name?" She leans closer.

"Lailah." I slide my hand around her waist.

"My favourite color?" Her mouth slides into a half smile as she looks at my lips.

"...green?" I blink at her, worried a bad answer might ruin my chance.

"What type of green?" ...She's just screwing with me, isn't she?

"Neon?"

Her head tilts back, letting out a soft, satisfied cackle towards the ceiling before looking back at me. "You passed."

She steps forward, pushing me against the shower knob, turning off the water, before throwing me to the side, through an umbragate, right onto her bed. She pins me down as she comes through after me, leaning in with a devilish smile.

"Do my worst, huh?"

"Do your worst..." I beg.