Eiji held his head down, fists stuffed into deep pockets, his black trench coat barely brushing the tips of black shoes, he kept to the shadows, a pair of black sunglasses pushed up his nose.  The shadows of the darkening alley crawled around him, reaching like eager children, he shooed them of lovingly, briefly caressing them in his hands before letting them crawl away.  He looked up and saw a small girl standing in the opening, a white grocery bag held in front of her, she watched him, head cocked to the side slightly.  He cleared his throat roughly, heart pounding and mind racing, trying to think of an excuse.  He stepped around the shadows awkwardly, thought they tugged on his pants slightly, he shook them off.
"Um, these are my...... Pets."  he said, hesitating slightly.  The shadows squeaked indignantly, he shushed them with a sharp wave of his hand, ordering them to be quiet.  "Well...."  he said but stopped, the girl was actually smiling.
"Are they truly like pets?  May I touch one?"  She asked and knelt on the gorund, reaching a hand out and twitching her fingers slightly.  The shaadows flinched, hugging tighter against Eiji's legs.  he knelt down, rubbing their nearly visible heads, gently pressing them to greet the girl.  They inched forward, Aly kept still, watching, waiting.  They finally rolled onto her hand, she laughed and lifted them so she could see them better,
"Hello you, wqhat's your name?  I mean, if you have one that is."
We have name, we have name!"  A tiny voice squeeked,  "we are Night."
"Oh?  What a wonderful name."  Aly replied, setting the shadows back on the ground.  They began to climb over her, inspecting her before squeeking,
"You good person!  you good person!"  Aly stared at them in surprise,
"They like you."  Eiji said, beckoning the shadows to him.  They looked at him but returned to Aly, still squeeking happily,
"Night, come!"  Eiji said firmly, still beckoning, they rolled over to him, still slightly hesitant.  
"Can she come too? "  They asked, begging slightly, Eiji sighed,
"If she wishes, it is up to her though.
"Come!  Come!"  They siad, rolling on her again, she laughed and nodded,
"Fine, I'll come."   They squeeled happily, jumping up on her, she gathered them in her arms, gently carrying them.  
"Follow me."  Eiji said, whipping his hood back onto his head, he ducked his face, hands stuffed in his pockets he led her across the street, and into another ally, taking the back passages to his large house.  When they got there she stopped at the gate, staring up at the large church.
"This is your house?"
"Well, yeah.  I just have to convince the investigators that this place is haunted and they leave for another seven years.  
"Oh."  she said simply, following him inside.  She sat the shadows on the floor and they began to toy around, wrestling with each other.  She giggled, watching them.  
"Would you like anything to eat?"  Eiji asked,
"Um, I can fix it, thank you."  She said quietly, slipping past him and into the small kitchen.  She turned the stove on and began to cook, Eiji stared in surprise, he was never that fast at cooking, he rarely cooked anyway, he normally just went out to get his meals.  
"It's almost done."  She announced, setting the boiling water off the stove as she began to set things on the dining table.
"Lord you're fast."  He breathed, staring at her.  She giggled and smiled
"Yeah, my mom died when I was six, so, I took on all of her duties, like the shopping, the laundry, the cooking and cleaning.  Dad helps all he can."  She smiled and turned back to the tea, setting the whistling kettle to the side.  
"Night, come along, dinner is ready."  she called, the shadow rolled in eagerly, crowding around her legs, she laughed,   moving slowly so she didn't hurt the shadow.  "Sit."  She ordered to the man still staring at her from the doorway, much to her surprise he obeyed, sitting timidly in the chair.  She smiled and passed the plates around, telling everyone to help themselves.  Once everyone was finished, she stood and carried the plates into the kitchen, setting them down in the sink gently, she began to scrub them.
"Here, let me do it."  Eiji said, coming to her side, she smiled, okay.  He picked up a plate awkwardly, trying to hold it and wipe it with a dirty dish towel, she watched, wincing slightly as the dirt spread on the bowl.
"Um, I think...Let me...." she said hesitantly, he looked over at her, but as his eyes left the plate it fell to the floor, broken ceramics scattering on the floor.  
"Aw fuck."  He said under his breath, kneeling he began to pick up the peices.
"I'll finish the dishes if that's okay?"  Aly said, watching him.
"Yeah, that's....That's fine."  She smiled and continued washing, Eiji stood and tossed the  shards into the trash, walking out into the living room.  He plopped himself down on the couch, idly stroking the shadow's head as they curled  in his lap, he felt extremely embarrassed, a fully grown man unable to do simple house chores that a young girl could perform.  Aly came out smiling and sat down beside him.  She sighed slightly, and allowed the shadow to crawl into her lap.  She ran her hand across the somewhat smooth back.  eiji watched her, unable to find anything to say, the silence grew into an awkward one.  Aly looked up and around her,
"What time is it?"  She asked him, he glanced out the window,
"ten thirty, why?"
"Oh no, I need to go home!"  She said, jumping to her feet, the shadow fell to the floor, wailing slightly as it hit the floor,
"I'm so sorry."  she said and picked it up, placing it back on the couch, she stroked it's head, soothing it.
"I can's stay here all night."  She continued, looking up into his face.
"Oh, it's all right."
"But, I don't want to intrude...."
"It's no problem, do you want to go get your things?"
"Yes, I'll be back."  she ran out the door, and Eiji sat on the couch again, though the shadow stayed away from him instead of crawling on him.
"What's wrong, Night?" He asked.
"Is she coming back?"  They whined, staring at him sadly.
"Of course."  He said, and sighed, "You act like she's your mother."  He said,
"She is good, and mommy's are good. So she is mommy!"  They said happliy.  Eiji moaned and put ihs face in his hands, bracing his elbows on his knees.  He jumped to his feet when he heard someone knocking on the door.  He swept down the short hall and flung the door open, to reveal a wet and shaking Aly.  
"It....Started...To...Rain."  She stuttered, sneezing cutely.  Eiji smiled and ushered her inside,  The shadow's crowded around her agin, this time squeeking,
"Mommy!  Good lady is mommy!"  Aly stared down at them,
"Mommy?"  she asked.
"It's a long story, they think you're a good person, and mother's are good people, so they think you are their 'mommy'"  Aly laughed softly and gathered then in her arms.
"Then I have very wonderful children.  she sneezed again, smiling as the shadow rubbed against her, hugging closer to her.
"And you shall make a very wonderful mommy, now come along and we'll get you warmed up."  She nodded and followed him into a rather small room, but none the less a cozy one, with a warm blaze glowing in the small fireplace.  she sat in one of the short chairs, barely noticing eiji wrap a blanket around her shoulders, tucking it against her tightly.  She watched the fire, eyes growing heavy and she slipped into sleep, where she was greeted with wonderful dreams.  Eiji smiled as her eyes slid closed, her breathing evening out as she greeted sleep, the shadows held closer to her, wether or not they were asleep as well he could not tell.