It was warm when I finally woke up. I had felt so cold at the beginning of the night, but when I woke up I felt almost a bit too warm. My throat was parched and I was desperate for a drink of water. I hoped that the other slave, Heero was around. I didn't think I could get it myself and I hoped he'd do me this favor. I'd do whatever I needed to repay him later, but I was so thirsty.

There was a body under me that I could not identify. I tensed when I realized it, but it seemed futile, since I had obviously been resting on it all night, so I quickly gave up an relaxed. I assumed that the body must be Heero's, for he was the only one who would have any reason to stay with me. I wondered if the master had asked him to take care of me, or if he was just kind. I hoped it was the latter, but I was leaning toward the former. I was competition, and I had learned well with my last master how cruel people can be in defending their place from a competitor.

"Heero," I whispered, my voice raspy, "Heero, please, I really need a drink of water. I'm sorry for being so much trouble, but..."

He grunted something beneath me, I think only half awake, then eased himself out from beneath me and stood up, stumbling out of the room. It was a little cooler without him, but I missed being close to him the moment he was gone. I had been isolated for so long, and now it seemed that I craved the touch of another human.

When my new master had walked down the line up, I had never dreamed he would pick me. I hadn't wanted him to pick me, because I knew how vicious master Marcel could be with a whip, but in some ways I did, if only to validate that I was still alive, that someone else could see me. Master Marcel's other slaves had never truly abused me, for that was master's job, but they had pushed me, or bullied me, or laughed at me, or stole from me, or lied to me, or anything else they could do. But what truly hurt was when they ignored me. I had to watch the bond many of them shared as slaves, unable to get in but unable to leave. It had hurt me deeply, because I had fed on the love and good feelings of others, and depriving me of love was like depriving me of food. I ate and ate, but inside something ate away at me. I withered, became weak, and then was forced through that terrible gauntlet.

Heero returned and I could hear the water swishing in the glass as he approached. It made me want it even more and I tried to sit up, but the pain was too great and I fell back down. As long as I laid still, the pain faded to a terrible ache, but trying to move made it flare up again, and I wasn't sure how I would manage the drink.

Heero flipped the lights on and I temporarily blinded by the light, so I buried by face in the pillow to escape the harsh light. Behind me, I could hear Heero as he moved, then I felt as he sat down on the bed beside me.

"Come on," he said, and his voice was strange, deeper than I remembered it.

I looked up to find myself staring at the blonde-haired master who had won me the day before. A master that I had just ordered around like a slave.

I heard a pained whimper and realized halfway through that it was coming from me. I tried to stop it, but failed, so I buried my face in the pillow once again, hoping to silence myself.

"Stop that now," my master commanded, holding my chin as he forced my head up, "You can't very well drink like that."

I flinched as he brought the cup to my face, but I was so thirsty that my body overcame my fear and I latched onto the straw, sucking down the cool liquid as fast as I could, half afraid it would be taken away.

"Slow down," master chided, "you'll make yourself sick," he said, pulling the glass away. I whimpered, still thirsty even though my stomach felt uncomfortably sloshy. "Just wait a moment," master ordered, and held the cup out of my reach.

"Please," I whimpered, "just a little more..."

"You could have as much as you like, if you'd just slow down," master said sternly, but returned the cup anyway. I attempted to obey him and was rewarded when he let me finish the rest of the glass.

He took the glass back then and I let my head fall back to the pillow, exhausted by that small movement. Master put his hand on my head and I couldn't bring myself to move, but I flinched hard when he leaned down and gave my forehead a lingering kiss.

"M-master?" I questioned, feeling my body already begin to betray my fear with shivers. With my back like it was, and helpless as I was, if he decided to... to..

"I think you have a slight fever, but I can't really tell," he said, "Do you feel hot?"

"A-a little," I mumbled, so terribly relieved that he hadn't been doing... what I thought he was doing. I jumped as master snapped the comforter to the bottom of the bed, leaving only a lighter blanket. He then leaned over me and checked the clock sitting on the other side of the bed. He seemed satisfied with it, because he slid back under the covers next to me.

I half expected and half wanted him to pull me into his arms, because it felt so good when I thought he was Heero. But I was still afraid of him, and probably would have baulked, so it might be better that he didn't instead settling for lying with his side an inch or so away from mine. It helped that I could feel the heat of his skin, but I still craved the warmth of another person.

"Master?" I asked.

"Yes?"

"W-what's going on?"

"It's nothing to worry about. I'm just being your typical, lazy master," he said with a smile that I thought was sincere, but I wasn't sure, "and lounging around with a pretty boy," he said, and it sounded like he was teasing, which I was grateful for. "Heero and I have a party later, so I think I'll catch a little more sleep, alright? Heero wanted to train this morning, though I said he could skip, so he'll be back in an hour or two. Try to get some sleep, and tell me if you start to feel sick, alright?" he asked, and I nodded though there were tears in my eyes. "Quatre? Baby, what's wrong?"

I shook my head. I didn't want to answer, because I knew my master wouldn't like what I had to say. I was a stupid slave, always whimpering and crying. This master had done nothing but help me, but I couldn't read him with the space between us, and I couldn't stand not knowing if he would hurt me or not.

I sobbed violently and master carefully pulled me onto his chest, slow to make sure he didn't hurt me. I sobbed against his shoulder as he ran his fingers through my hair, trying to calm me. There was only concern within him, loud and ringing, as I let his motions fill me. There was no mask to this, no hidden agenda. He was honest and caring and gentle and I knew I didn't deserve him but I wanted him so badly. I wanted that caring and concern. I needed to feel that the world wasn't a poisonous place, but who would keep a disloyal, whiney, overemotional slave like me? I couldn't even keep myself from bawling all over my new master! He was going to throw me away at his first chance. I knew it and it made me cry all the harder. I cried so hard I think I might have passed out.