Imaginary

Dark shades of purple and midnight skies blurred my vision, and I knew I was dreaming when the law of gravity suddenly didn't apply to me anymore. It was freezing, however. I guess winter still stuck around. But there was nothing I could do to stop it, to pause and leave, so I followed through.

When the colors melted away, I stood standing in a room of checkerboard flooring and violet drapes hanging over windows and tables. It was dimly lit by the fading cracks of sunlight by the glass windows. A strangely bright colored chandelier hung over the table-painted black-in between two plush-looking sofas, in the middle of the room. I reached out and touched the pedals of a purple rose sitting in a tall porcelain vase next to me. Its dark hue and natural feel left me wondering how hard it might've been to keep it alive. Or maybe it only exists in my mind.

My steps echoed through the empty halls and sounded like it was someone else's. It was somewhat unnerving, but what's there to be scared about? Maybe it's that for some place so big and isolated, it still smelled good. Like herbs, like laundry, like...beautiful darkness. I can't explain it.

It felt like I had wandered the mansion for an interminable amount of time before the night had set in and lights had flicked on. The smell, oh the smell, unignorable now, I walked towards the room where it was the strongest. When I cracked it open, wafts of combinations of spices floated past me. Why haven't I checked this room before?

I stepped in and switched the light on only to see a long table covered with spotless white table cloth, and unbelievably clean plates and dishes set up on the table. My eyes dismissed the dark form sitting on one end of the table the first time I swept over my surroundings, but by the second time to double-check, my eyes saw purple quilled hedgehog, the tips a crystal blue color. His acidic eyes glided over and stared with such intensity I felt my stomach churn.

Yellow and orange reflected off the reds of his eyes, instead of white, from the candles, and I wondered if I had something in my ears as he purred, "Turn that off."

Temporarily immobilized by his gaze, I hesitantly shut off the lights and let my arm drop to my side. The way he was somewhat hunched over and rested his head on top of his laced fingers, propped up on his elbows and smiling at me made me wonder what was going through his head. I took silent steps and sat down on the chair at the other end. His eyes never dropped from mine.

"Good evening, Shadow."

I blinked, hands tightening around the table cloth, giving it the wrinkles it's never seen. "Evening to you, too. Why am I here?"

"It didn't seem like the jolly man they all call Santa was going to visit you tonight." He looked out the window and everything outside was covered in white. It was still going on strong, too. And as if that was a satisfying answer, he gestured to the set up table in front of us. "I don't think you've had dinner yet. Be my guest."

Somehow, as if he'd known all along I would be willing to sit down, there was a steaming mug of hot tea in front of me, its aroma wafting into my nose. I sighed and stared at it, not too sure if I should take it or not.

Ehh. Sure.

"I didn't have any cookies and milk, anyway," I said, as the somewhat sweet but bark-ish taste of the tea hit my tongue and swallowed, shivering from the heat.

"Mm." The way hummed it gave it a final and concluding feeling. It seemed apparent that he was more immersed in studying me than conversing.

I have to give credit to my imagination. This is quite an interesting character I had made up. But why does he feel familiar in some way? Have I known but then forgotten who he is?

He finally picked something up from his plate and ate silently. I picked up my silver fork and pricked the points into a cherry tomato, chewing it quietly and awkwardly in the deafening silence. He lowered his eyelids and kept staring intently. What was so fun about watching me eat?

It was a while of wanting and refusing to say something when I finally asked, "What do they call you?"

A knowing smile appeared on his lips and only replied, "My, amnesia hit you again so soon? Mephiles the Dark, that's what they call me."

I frowned. How'd he know? Mephiles?

He chuckled, however, and took a piece of smoked salmon. "Why the disproving look? It's true, is it not?"

I shook my head. A dream, Shadow, a dream. What you know is what he knows. "Just a bit surprised you knew, that's all." I looked down at my plate and brought a slice of roasted chicken to my mouth.

I didn't look, but I bet he was still grinning as I finished up almost everything quickly. When I looked up again, Mephiles was standing up and already carrying desserts to the table. I glanced at his plate-halfway finished. I caught his eyes and gave him a questioning look.

He only gestured towards my almost empty plate, as if saying, 'Well, you're finished.'

I only blinked as he carried panettone onto the table. "That's a lot of dessert."

He sat down and picked up his fork to finish his dinner and smiled at me. "Yes. And you're going to finish them."

I was taking another sip of my lukewarm tea when I heard what he said and coughed, choking on the liquid. "Pardon?"

"I made and bought them for you."

"Why?"

"Has it slipped your mind that it's Christmas? Now hush and eat up, or I'll have to feed you."

I quickly shook my head and muttered, "No thanks." and I closed my eyes, half expecting all of them to disappear when I opened them again.

They didn't.

Instead, Mephiles was leaning over the table, over to me. My eyes flicked to watch his face for half a second before darting down to look at the faint shadow he cast over the already dimly lit table. My heart thumped hard against my rib cage as I felt his reptilian eyes glue onto my body.

This…wasn't the first time I've dreamed about him. I'm starting to remember weak traces of memory of where I had seen him lurk in my dreams. This wasn't the first time I've been so close to him, either. There's no way I'd actually want him to treat me like a toddler…I really hope not.

There was a light of amusement flicking in his eyes when he said, "Ahh, open up~" and I pulled my head back, glaring at the gingerbread man like it was dangerous. His grin only widened as he prodded it against my still sealed lips.

I narrowed my eyes and growled to show that I didn't like it, but opened my mouth and let him push the head in before biting down and removing the head from the man, anyway. He lowered his eyelids and purred as he placed what's left of the frosting-covered man onto my tongue and I ate it up. Would it be okay for me lose my ego in my imagination? Would it count if I completely embarrassed myself to the point of no turning back if it were real?

Only I have to know that this ever happened. And all you need to know? Everything was sweet and sticky.

XXX

The taste of sugar and honey left a strong, lingering taste on my tongue as Mephiles lapped over a stray spot of sweetened cream on my cheek.

He led us out of the dining room and I was suddenly lifted off my feet as he climbed up a spiraling staircase, its railings bearing beautiful and complicated carvings. I yelped and looked at the ground below us, and tightened my hold around his neck and shoulder. Wouldn't want to fall, right?

He walked along the endless hall taken over by paintings and candleholders. Rows of empty rooms we passed before finally reaching the grand, red double doors. I felt his breath, smelling of cake, bristle my face as he pushed open one side of the door with the side of his arm and closed it after him with his foot.

He laid me gently down onto the pale blue silk sheets and I guiltily accepted his soft kisses. I can't believe I finally gave up only for granting my own guilty pleasures…even if it didn't count. It's not…right…

"Hm, what's wrong?" His eyes seemed to be like those chemicals they put in glow-in-the-dark, and I gulped, staring into them as I shook my head.

"Nothing."

He gave me a look that quietly whispered to me as, 'I hope you're sure.' And it mattered, because the next hour, what I remembered everything so vividly it hurt.

There soft ear scratches, gentle kisses; the incoherent whispers, body language; the excruciating pain, the tears, cries and blood; the reassuring purrs, comforting touches; the heavy panting for breath, moans from the blinding pleasure…It was all too much for me to take in, yet I held onto it tightly.

I knew it wasn't real. It wasn't real, but I wanted it. I wanted more.

He held me close as I dragged my claws down his back, crying and howling, until the moans and whimpers melted away into the night, and there was nothing but the steady breathing and beating of hearts.

XXX

Blurry vision and usual morning grogginess found me and I sat up and rubbed my eyes in an attempt to clear my sight. As I had expected, I was alone. But I wasn't in my bed like I had been before I fell asleep, waiting for something.

Oh no.

I told Faker and his clingy friends I'd be going to their Christmas party…it's just that I had too much time left and took a nap to kill it. But I guess that didn't work out so great.

I looked around and got the faint idea that I was going insane. Why am I still in this mansion? Did I never really wake up?

I quickly got out of bed and on as I took my first step onto the plush dark blue carpet, a piece of paper crumpled underneath my weight. I picked it up and scrunched my brows together.

Good morning, my sweet. I trust you had a nice sleep.

Go on and get washed up, and when you're done come down.

I took the paper off the ground and folded it into a square and placed it onto the sink temporarily as I gathered my clothing and set it on the lid of the toilet. Ow, my backside burned. Chaos…

The shower was quick but refreshing, and soothed the pain on my rear, and after getting most of the water out from my quills, I put on my accessories. Picking up the piece of paper, I placed it into my mess of quills and headed downstairs. Why wasn't all of this melting away yet?

At the end of the stairs, there was another note attached to the railing. I took it off.

My dearest Shadow, you must be hungry. Pick up anything you want to eat on the dining table.

And when you're ready to head home?
Just count outloud: uno, due, tre,

Quattro , cinque, but no sei.

I looked at it strangely, reading it over many times, before folding that, too, and collecting it in my quills.

At the dining table, there were a plate of fruits and a line of crackers hanging on the edge of the plate. I randomly grabbed an apple quickly finished it, not that hungry. Outside the windows, snow was covering almost every inch. There was no way I was getting back without Chaos Controlling, and I didn't have an emerald on me.

I took one more good look at the place before calling out, a bit unsure, "One, two, three, four, five."

I shut my eyes as something grabbed my body, and I felt like I was floating again, just like at the beginning of my dream. It was just that it was colder than last time. And when the feeling was completely gone, I counted to ten silently, and cracked my eyes open. I was sitting on my sofa, in the living room. There were no longer mixtures of purple and black, but that was replaced with something else.

Or rather, someone.

"You." I pointed at the hedgehog I saw in my dreams. "You took me to a mansion yesterday."

He gave a grin and melted to the wooden flooring, disappearing down below. I didn't get up, however. His presence was right behind me. But when he whispered, it was loud. It was right next to my ear. I shivered, the fur on my ears and neck pricking up. "It's Mephiles, love. It's my place."

As my cheeks warmed up to an unusual temperature, I replied, "You took me."

He laughed softly-deep huffing sounds. "I did."

I shook my head. I guess that really wasn't just another one of my demented dreams my restless brain generated. It wasn't fake. It happened.

I gasped softly as his arms snaked over across my chest. I took another breath, another blink, another ear twitch, hearing, "Merry Christmas" being faintly whispered, before I was wrapped into the strangely warm yet unnerving, disturbing yet beautiful dark embrace of the demon I thought was only existent in my dreams.

Merry Christmas everybody. Hope you enjoyed my OOCness. HO HO HOOOOO!