Disclaimer: "Loveless" is owned by Kouga Yun and Zero-Sum. I make no claim to it and am not making any money from this story.
In Dreams
I'm sitting on a dune, watching the sun set.
Behind me a grass fire crackles, reaching out to embrace me lovingly with warm, strong arms. Every now and then he tugs on the chain that leads from the iron collar around my neck. I'm pretty sure I could take the chain for myself, but for now I'm content to let someone else hold my leash. All in all, I am at peace here at the end of the world, with no one for company but my firey lover.
The setting sun paints the sky with brilliant colors that have no name, and as the last sliver vanishes beneath the waves, the sea goes still like a mirror. Close to the sand -- maybe a few feet, maybe a mile -- a head slowly rises from the primordial soup of life.
He comes and sits next to me, and without looking I know that he is a mirror image of myself: dark shaggy hair, sharp ears, long tail and sad eyes. Even a bandage on his cheek. The only difference is that his throat is bare and no flames crawl his form. He looks like I did a few years ago.
We sit in silence for a while, until I venture to begin the conversation that he came here to have.
"Haven't seen you in a while." I begin.
"Yeah," he says, "I had some things to take care of.
So how is she?"
"She misses you. Doesn't like me very much, but I deal."
"Hm."
"Are you ready to come back yet? We can switch back now if you want."
"But...what about..."
"They'll understand. Or they won't. Either way, it'll be alright. It's your life. You should live it. I was just here to keep your seat warm."
"Really, I'm alright with this."
"Alright."
In unison, we stand and turn to each other. I reach up and tug off the iron collar, and slip it onto his neck. The chain dangles listlessly without Soubi to play with it, but he is still curled around my shoulders. I lean forward, and place a chaste kiss on his lips.
"Good luck, Ritsuka," I say.
"Thank you, and goodbye, Loveless," he says.
I close my eyes and vanish.
-end-