A/N: Written for the lovely Erica for her birthday

Meetings

The hallway seemed to stretch out forever before Rei. Each stride should have brought him closer to the exit, but he seemed to gain no ground as his feet slapped the tiled floor. Wasn't he supposed to be a runner? Wasn't the flow of wind through his hair and the shortness of his breath the joys of his life?

Then why couldn't he escape?

The thing was growing closer now. He could hear it lumbering nearer and nearer. It was nowhere near as fast as Rei, yet it seemed to be gaining at a solid pace. He didn't dare turn over his shoulder to see just how close the thing was. Any second, it could reach out and-

Rei spotted a turnoff from the main hall and decided to take his chances in that direction, moving as quickly as he could manage in this nightmarish state. The next thing he knew, he was sprawled out on the ground, having run smack into something that had seemingly materialized in front of him from around the corner. Rei hurriedly pushed his glasses back up his nose and glanced at what had knocked him down.

It was another boy, though only God knew what the hell he was doing in a hospital long after it had been boarded up. Then again, the same could be said about him. The boy was wearing a simple hoodie and baggy jeans, with fuzzy blond hair falling into his mocha eyes. Rei's panicked mind couldn't help but notice that he was A. His age, roughly, and B. Utterly adorable.

He shook the thoughts out of his head. This wasn't the time. "Y-You've got to run!" Rei managed to choke out, trying to pick himself off of the ground. "There's something coming-!"

The bond just gave him a confident smile. "Calm down. I've got this." From underneath his hoodie he produced a small pistol, startling Rei. Was he some kind of psychopath? That was just what he'd need today, more than one thing trying to kill him.

Instead of firing bullets into his head, though, the blond aimed over Rei's shoulder and at the approaching monster. Three shots rang out in the near silence. A low wail came from the thing, either a death cry or a vow of vengeance.

The boy's face screwed up in concentration. "Come on, come on." He squeezed the trigger again, then gave a cry of satisfaction when a loud thud echoed through the hallway. "Gotcha!" His fist pumped in a triumphant display.

Rei stared at the blond boy, shocked into silence, until he slipped his gun away and seemed to remember the other boy's presence. Extending his hand out, he again offered a warm smile that lit up his face, which still had a touch of baby fat.

"Ah, sorry if I scared you. Are you ok?" His face held legitimate concern.

Rei could feel his face heating up as he accepted his hand and stood up. "I-I'm fine. Thank you for saving me."

The boy laughed. "No problem. It's what I do, after all." His mouth opened to an O shape suddenly. "Oh my gosh, you don't even know my name. I'm Nagisa." Nagisa ran his fingers through his hair, laughing slightly.

"I'm Rei." He gave a nod, then glanced back to the fallen creature. "What the hell was that thing?"

Nagisa's expression changed. "I'm pretty sure that was a skinwalker – those are shapeshifters-, though I'm not positive. You must have done something pretty big to piss it off." He gave a low whistle. "My guess is, you stumbled onto its hideout and it didn't like it." He began to walk, leaving Rei to follow along behind him.

"Impossible." The cobalt haired teen couldn't help but mutter.

Nagisa turned and looked at him. "Hate to say it, but it's very possible. And real, too." He laughed. "In fact, I'm surprised you're not totally flipping out. Most people are either in total shock or screaming." Now that the danger was past, the blond had slipped into a lighter step, practically skipping. It made him seem much younger than he had to be.

"So, Rei, what are you doing in a place like this?" Nagisa asked, swinging his arms and humming off key.

Rei shifted as he walked. He did have a reason, but it wasn't exactly flattering. Now that the danger had passed, he could focus fully on the boy in front of him. And how adorable he was. It wouldn't do to look like a total dork in front of him. "I, uh, I was doing some research on this place. I'm doing an article on abandoned places in my Journalism class.

Nagisa was grinning. "Really? That's cute." They both started at the word, then the other teen quickly changed the subject. "Next time, don't go in places like this alone. Or ever, for that matter. If you absolutely have to, check up on the history of the place and some recent reports. It might be time consuming, but it could save your life." His voice had taken on a hint of a monotone, like he had said those words a thousand times.

Rei adjusted his glasses without thinking as he nodded. "I will. Thank you again." They'd reached the entrance to the hospital, the one Rei had originally come through.

"Hey, it was my pleasure." Nagisa stuck his hand out. "I hope I can see you again sometime."

Rei shook it vigorously, trying his best not to seem overeager. "Me too."

Nagisa's smile grew larger. "I can't wait!" He waved as be began to walk down the scarcely lit street. "Bye~!"

Rei stared after Nagisa until he vanished from sight, praying that the flush wasn't that obvious on his cheeks. He had meant to ask just when they'd be able to meet again, but he couldn't get the words out when the opportunity presented itself. Tsking with disappointment, he turned in the direction of his home.

That was when he felt the furled up piece of paper in his palm. Surprised, Rei opened his fist and unrolled the scrap.

Nagisa Hazuki 3 ~~~~ 124-658-1789

Slowly, Rei's lips curled into a smile. Maybe they'd be meeting again sooner than they thought.