| The hand returned to his face, this time without the baggy glove concealing it. Cool skin felt wonderful on his burning brow and cheeks. Inuki gazed up at the stranger even as the soothing motion lulled him to sleep. Right when the Sandman was about to lay claim to him, a distrubing thought popped into his fogged brain. 'He can see me.' Inuki's body began to shake once more, only this time his entire body trembled sporatically. His mind raced and his eyes snapped open. He started to hyperventalate as he tried to figure out how this man, that he's never seen before, could possibaly see him. Brown eyes set in a pale face gazed down at him. Inuki could feel the hot breath of the man rolling off his cheeks. Cool knuckles brushed over warm cheeks. "Now what's wrong, lovely?" Fine brows drew together in worry. Inuki's mouth opened and closed, no sound forth coming. He drew a deep breath and tried again. "You... you can see me..... How?" The handsome stranger drew his head back. The bed dipped as extra weight was added. A serious face appeared before him. "Of course I can see you. Just like you can see me. That's what eyes are for. To see others with." Inuki shook his head against the soft pillow. His head didn't hurt quite as much not that he was lying down again. "No, no. You don't understand." He paused to gather his scattered thoughts. "No one but my master is able to see me like this." With each word it was gradually becoming easier to breathe. The stranger smiled at him. "Well then, you and I are not all that different then." Inuki stared at him questionally from his place on the bed. "Ya see, lovely, only the little girl who watches over me can see me like this as well." He petted the top of Inuki's head, careful of the thin bandage wrapped around it. "I wonder.... I never did ask you what your name was." Inuki closed his eyes. 'He's like me. But does taht mean taht others like me can see me, too?' He was torn. It was lonely, his life. His young master was great and all but there was something missing. Something vital..... A finger tapped his froehead. His eyes opened at the unfamilar sensation, not realizing he had in fact closed them. He looked at the older man. 'Should I tell him? If he's able to see me then that a good thing. Right?' "Kouu." Inuki blinked. "Huh?" "My name is Kouu." "Oh. Ummm... Ah....." Oh what the hell. "My-my name is...." He cleared his throat. "In-Inuki." Kouu stared at him. It was amusing how long it had taken the young man to get his own name out. To Inuki it sounded strange, alien to his sensitive ears. But to Kouu, it wwas one of the most wonderful things he'd ever heard. He smiled. "A name as beautiful as its owner," he purred as he leaned closer to the boy lying helpless on his bed. Gold eyes widened in shock. 'Oh my God... He's going to.....' Breathing became difficult when Kouu's face was only a hair's breath away from his own. Right when their lips were about to touch..... .....the room faded to black. * * * The sound of a young girls giggling Inuki from a troubled sleep. He had a dream of a strange man gazing into a floor-length oval mirror. In this dream, the man was calling his name. The face of the man was foggy, unclear no matter how hard he tried to see it. A door slamming from down below brought his mind to the present and the dream to the far recesses of his memory. Sudden stillness echoed throughout the house as he raised his weary body from the welcoming embarce the bed. He rubbed the fading bump on the back of his head, removing the white bandage at the same time. A few seconds of sitting allowed the slight lightheadedness to pass. Weary legs carried him to the chair that held his boots and cloak once more. 'This is much better,' he sighed as he wrapped his cloak back around his thin shoulders. On went the boots, belt buckles pulled tight. A cool breeze drifted into the room from the open French doors. The sidden gust of wind allowed him to het a good whiff of his body odor. 'Ugh! Is that me?' He raised his arm and sniffed. His nose wrinkled up in disgust. 'I smell horrible! There's no way I'm going home to Kira smelling like this!' Caustiously he opened the door into the hallway. Doors decorated the extent of the walls on both sides. Gathering all his courage, which wasn't a wjole lot right now, he boldly stepped out into the hall. Since his bedroom was at the end of the hallway, he was able to open all the doors without having to backtrack. One by one he searched through each room trying to find the nearest bathroom. He was in great need of a shower. As he came closer to the stairs leading to the main floor, a door that was once locked swung out with a slight creak from well worn hinges behind him. Panic allowed Inuki to reach the last unlocked door in time. 'Can't let anyone see me!' He hardly dared to breathe as heavy footsteps trudged his way. Seconds seemed like eternity until the echoing of footsteps reached his hiding place. They stopped right outside his door. He prayed to whatever god would listen to him. 'Please don't let them find me. Go away!' he cried mentally. Only when he heard the 'thunk thunk' of feet hitting the stairs did he release the stale air inside his lungs and gulp for fresher air. He relaxed with his back on the door. Cracking his eyes just a little revealed what the room held within. White tiles covered wall and floor. A pedistal sink of white marble with curved handles and faucet was mounted to the floor in front of him. To his right was a bathtub complete with a shower nozel high above and nice stucco glass doors that allowed privacy. 'Oh thank you!' He quickly stripped off his clothing. Turning the hot water knob all the way to scolding before stepping into the shower, leaving the door open to let the steam out. Within seconds the room was filled with steam. Cool tendrils of whispy steam curled around anything it could. Water droplets condenced on the shiny door knob. A shiny knob that was slowly being turned. |