Chiaroscuro

otto

Several more months flew by. In their time living with the gnomes, they had been planning another expedition beyond Forest Land; but the comforts of having a home, even if temporary, to come back to was too tempting to quit right away.

Hence the delay.

After all, they didn't miss the olden days of when they used to sleep in the dirt and hunt for bloodthirsty bunnies to feast on.

However, some of the scouts within the village have also aided in their quest to return back to where they belonged. Not all was futile. Reports of a strange new landmark, beyond the outskirts of one of the other gnome villages in the area, piqued their curiosity. Apparently, a gaping hole with an endless chasm had emerged from the dirt, coming to life out of nowhere. No one knew of its origins. It simply stayed there, unbothered and unmoving.

Aldrich and Lenore had tasked themselves with the mission of uncovering what it was. Possibly, this was their farewell to the gnomes that had helped take care of them. The thought of saying goodbye was bittersweet, but it must be done.

Even if this landmark ended up being a false diversion, at least the gnomes could rest assured that it wasn't anything to worry about.

In their many interactions with these fun-sized folks, they managed to pick up on bits and pieces of their melodic language. Every now and then, they'd also partake in their festivities, joining them in their town parties and picnic gatherings.

Lenore and Aldrich always showed up at these events as a unit, never leaving one without the other.

As of now, before they could set out on the journey of discovering the enigma of a landmark the next day, they both decided to help gather berries for the natives here one last time.

Just one final time. Then they'd be off.

While collecting more weaved baskets for berry picking, Aldrich spotted Lenore allowing some of the kids to play with him from a distance. There the Umbra stood, anchored like a tree as he wore a chill poker face. Meanwhile, children climbed all over him, testing the limits to his strength by pulling on his arms and yoinking on the hem of his shirt.

As the tallest person in the entire village, Lenore was automatically responsible for free piggyback rides. Just his physique alone, from his toned biceps down to the broad expanse of his back, served as perfect playground equipment. His thick shoulders could bear the weight of not one, but three kids at once. One to his left, one to his right, and even one clinging onto the back of his thick and long hair. Even his sturdy legs proved to be great ladders, tempting for them to scale up and across.

Considering how short gnomes already were, only reaching a height of three and a half feet at most, their children were not any better. They were puny little creatures, brimming with innocuous tendencies and playful energy.

Aldrich grinned at the sight. He could look at Lenore for hours on end. Sometimes he already did. After all, the allure of his best friend's natural beauty was too captivating to not openly admire.

Friendship was amazing.

"All right, that's enough now," Aldrich called out in their musical tongue, approaching them with steady strides. "Time to head out."

As much as the kiddos were having their fun, he had to put a pause on their playtime to give them their baskets. Their parents wanted them to return back to the clearing of trees and bushes up ahead, where a bunch of other fruits awaited, ripe and ready for plucking.

After helping detach some of the kids off Lenore's arms, they watched as the kids ran back. In the meanwhile, Aldrich took some time to straighten out his clothes, mending the wrinkles that the children had left behind.

Lenore simply stood there and let him, watching the way that Aldrich's hands worked to smooth him out. He relaxed into his touch, an easy smile twitching the corners of his mouth.

In their time together as roommates, Aldrich had been trying to remind Lenore that their friendship mattered. He didn't want him to bear any more doubts. And so, physical contact was more commonly practiced, their exchange of casual touches more evident and visible.

There wasn't a moment where Aldrich didn't think about where to place his hands around Lenore– as long as he was comfortable, of course. Frankly, he yearned for even more of their friendly gestures.

Craved them.

He relished in the refreshing cool touch of Lenore's clawed hands. He enjoyed those same shadowy hands planted on his shoulders, those same charcoal fingers brushing past the sides of his arms. He liked receiving gentle pats on the head and light pokes on the forehead.

Aldrich had especially taken a liking to Lenore's hair. As his fingers carefully threaded through jet black strands, he leaned in closer. He tilted his chin up to ensure eye contact, narrowing the gap between their height difference. His hands slid down to the rest of his long locks alongside his neck.

"Do you think this is it?" he asked, referring to the mysterious landmark they were set on exploring tomorrow.

"I don't know," Lenore murmured softly.

"I hope we're right. I hope we get to go back."

"I know." Lenore's smile had already faded away, his black lips reverting back to a thin line. "I know how much this means to you."

"It matters to both of us." Aldrich frowned, feeling his stomach churn. Something felt off, but he couldn't pinpoint what. "Are you okay?"

"I'm fine." Stepping over to the side, he turned his head away. "Just– I think it will be sad for the locals to say goodbye."

"Well, you are their favorite non-gnome. At least with the kids you are. I'm almost jealous." Aldrich pulled back too after the joke, but not before clapping him on the shoulder with a firm shake. "It'll be okay. You'll be okay."

Lenore stared down at the ground in silence, a hint of melancholy lingering in his eyes.