Necromancer For Hire- Arc 3

Arc 3, Chapter 2

The Relaxation

Umbra opened his eyes, feeling refreshed.

Victor had spent the night at Matthew's apartment, leaving the bed they shared all for Umbra.

Umbra deeply loved his son Victor, but he couldn't deny the fact that the boy was a restless sleeper. Victor tossed and turned all night, every night (usually rolling across Umbra's body and waking him up). Not to mention that Victor had the tendency to unconsciously slap or kick Umbra.

While it was a chore, Umbra tolerated it. He had tried putting Victor in his own room, but the child had been much too scared to even stay alone in the dark for several minutes, nonetheless the entire night.

But last night, Umbra had slept long and hard. He retreated to bed around nine thirty, directly after reading a few chapters of a book, and he fell asleep as soon as his head hit the pillow. He didn't even dream.

Umbra rubbed his eyes, yawning and pulling himself out of bed. He crouched before his dresser, and be began to select his outfit for the day.

To say Umbra dressed to impress would be a miserable understatement. Umbra dressed to incite a variety of emotions, not just amazement. He wanted people to pass by him and feel bitter jealousy; he wanted people to feel inferior to him with his style. Umbra desired to arouse lust in others, and he wanted them to see the smug smirk he had on his face that meant they'd never have a chance with him. He wanted to be 'the exception' to people's usual preferences.

But, for the most part, Umbra wanted to feel attractive for himself. He enjoyed knowing that he was a captivating, bewitching man. It gave him the rush that fueled his confident attitude and kept his head held high over others.

Umbra stepped in front of the tall mirror hanging on the wall and started to undress. He slipped into one of his favorite outfits: a sleeveless, button-up vest, an expensive tie, a pair of dress pants, and a silken white shirt. He had several vests of varying colors, and the one he had chosen for today was a faint, pastel lavender. The tie he fastened around his neck with ease was a light, pleasant shade of baby blue.

Straightening his collar, Umbra gazed contently at the mirror. The pastel color scheme of his outfit paired nicely with dark skin, striking violet eyes, and navy blue hair. Umbra couldn't help but smile at his reflection, as he felt that his clothing hugged his slender body in all the right ways.

Another morning done perfectly, Umbra thought, strutting into the bathroom down the hall to finish his routine.

He combed through his soft locks with a gratuitous amount of hair gel, spiking it to the side in his trademark quiff-like hairstyle.

Umbra opened up the medicine cabinet, retrieving a glass bottle and spraying his wrists and neck in sweet-smelling perfume. While it may have been marketed towards women, Umbra found perfume to be much more enjoyable than cologne. To Umbra, perfume actually smelled good, unlike the musky, strong cologne he had constantly encountered in the men's section of stores. And to a creature with a heighten sense of smell such as Umbra, that meant the world. He walked about smelling like 'Sweet Pea' with great pride.

As a final touch, Umbra traced his eyes with kohl-like substance, making his already bright eyes even more contrasting against his skin. Lining one's eyes was an old fae custom Umbra had never shed, as he found that it actually made him look better. Blinking to make sure it had been applied correctly, Umbra exited the bathroom and walked down the stairs to face his roommates.

Author's Note- Man, writing a smug, egotistical character is so much fun. Umbra is just great imo.