Title: Escape
Author: Fuji S. Yuki
Pairing: Kai/Inui
Summary: Escape is a route that we all take.

I just want to run away.
Far away from everything.
I want to abandon what I am now doing.
I just want to escape from my troubles.

Slowly fingers stop typing on the console. It was an addiction the passages he read, the feeling he procure from spending timeless hours online. The computer was his friend, away from the troubles the anxieties of the world. In here-he could be himself, he could be Inui the man who just wanted to belong and yet knew that it wasn't enough. Outside he casted a shadow of calcuating and insanity obession toward data. Even so data was his friend, even on this computer, even as he typed away and chatted with those online that knew him for himself. That knew him as Inuiko-san.

Haven.

How truthful that word was to him, he was a creator of this world he lived in, a fantasy world because fantasy in a way was better then reality. Here he could download items, talk to people, and feel connected to them. They only saw him for who he was inside that little voice that talk for him, compare to the rough sketch that he was face to face in front of those individuals on the courts.

Here-intellect and perhaps unintellectual individuals could converse with one another about their daily problems. Have a few cheap laughs, and even produce items that were amusing, and wildly fun. Here gaming like RO, to sniper games online, and the casual chess games were with people all across the globe. They were everywhere and they all were connected to him thanks to this little box technology called the computer.

How he remember when he was young the first day he was given one of these boxes, he thought it was nothing, but later on he discover that he could escape from the troubles. His parents would sometimes call to him saying that he stay to much time on the computer, that he needed to get out and he did-did he not? He had proceeded as they said to play tennis improve his physical appearance, even though hiding.

Inui was a sly dog. He didn't like other's to infringe on his territory, he hated people knowing what he thought, except for those on the net.

The net people live away there was always a barricade to where information could go. One wasn't know, their identity sealed, you could pretend to be female or male, or whatever you desire, because this was the world you created. Sometimes it was very hard for Inui to distinctedly detach himself from this addiction.

-Yet- he wasn't a fool to let it ruin his health. That was the difference-or was he only fooling himself? It honestly couldn't really be said, since there was no one there to tell him let alone observe his slow descent from the reality of the world.

Clicking of the keyboard soothed his nerves. To bad it resulted also in carpotunnel syndrome later on, but day in day out he typed, he just couldn't stop.

Until a knock on the door interrupted his thoughts, standing up Inui walked to the door, opening he he stared into dark ebony eyes that seem endless. "Kaidoh?" Surprise evident on Inui's face.

"Sempai." Was-the only word that could be hissed out of his kouhai's lips.

"What are you doing here?"

Kaidoh looked around his eyes sliding to the computer then back to the sea-urchin hair boy. "Sempai it's been one weeks since you came back to school."

"What?" Glancing at his clock he noted that indeed that it was indeed one week, how long had he been immersed with the computer to not notice time fly. Things were blurring and his eyes ached. "Did Tezuka send you?"

"Iie." Was the quick response.

Curious he eyed the other boy, "Then-"

"I think you should stop what your doing Sempai." Kaidoh voice lower slightly, it's thickness entranced Inui, "It isn't healthy to stay in a world that is pretend."

"What?"

"Not wise to give up on things, just because of a mistake sempai. Especially since it wasn't your fault-Inuiko." Kaidoh approach the computer and tap the monitor. "It's not right to hide from the grief."

"How did you know who I am?" Inui was evidently not happy, in fact he wasn't sure how anyone would know what his internet handler's name was, or what was happening in his life. After all did he not kept both worlds away from another.

Kaidoh remained silent sliding his eyes around the room until they rested on the data tennis player.

"How do you know?" Inui repeated. Once again trying to a response from his kouhai, whom obviously did not want to let him know the answer.

"You shouldn't stay online for too long it is bad for your eyes." Kaidoh responded instead, "Even if you do have perfect vision." Taper fingers picked up a hand made plushy of a dog that sat on top of the monitor.

"Kaidoh."

"Your the data expert on everyone-you think your deductive reasoning should have solved how I know who you are."

Slowly Inui calculated things with his unseen eyes, "only logical explanationg that I can come up is that you are a person that I know-online or two you were spying on me." He fidgeted against the trepidation that he is correct on his assumptions, but the more Kaidoh stared at the plushy that was made by one of his online friend, the more he got nervous.

"I always wanted to sew on glasses on this dog-I just never figure out how to make it stay on."

Slowly things clicked into place. "Thoth."

"Hai-Thoth-Egyptian moon god." Setting aside the plushy he walked forward until he was level eye with Inui, "You may be my sempai, but realize this cyber has nothing compare to the real life of this world. You may play-but in the world we stand in now-we can actually feel pleasures. In there-you only have asylum for your mind, and that is not enough."

Strange that Kaidoh of all people would say this, he never pegged the other ot be so outspoken, but there was a quality that he had with Thoth his other identity, they both were blunt and straight to the point.

"What do you mean pleasures of this world?"

A smirk slid onto those lips, "If you don't know then I held you to high in my opinion sempai." Swaying like his normal pose of the snake shot he lean forward his hand taking off the glasses, until emerald eyes met dark hues of black. "Your smarter then this-Inuiko."

"Thanks I guess."

"Your parents died in an accident-stop trying to torment yourself over it." Kaidoh mentions as he exit out the door. "Comfort only goes so far, you were good at keeping the worlds apart-so do it again and live on. I hate repeating myself-even on the net. Ja Sempai." The slamming of the door jotted Inui out of his daze.

Things were quite unexpected, he did not think that Thoth would be his cute little kouhai. Wait did he just think cute? Kaidoh as cute? In a way he did-and slowly he felt light fall on the room, walking forward he turned off the computer and lean his head against the wall.

His parents had died in a plane crash, the last thing they parted weren't exactly on good terms, there were some harsh words. Regret and grief only went so far-and he did feel the guilt, he did not think that this would be the last time he would ever see his parents, but it was-and so he grieved.

Tears slid down his cheeks as he huddle against the bed, all this time he try to keep it out of his mind, trying to escape. In a way he was glad-there was no one there to see how pitiful he looked, after the sobbing subsided he went to the bathroom to take a shower.

It had been ages since he took one, and his body reeked, it was a wonder that Kaidoh could get so close to him. But then when did he become so immerse with thoughts of the younger boy? Maybe it was a way for him to replace his grief with thoughts of the other, but he wasn't sure if this was truthful at all. He did care for Kaidoh and felt attraction toward the boy. The other was so offish he did not like other's getting to close to him, and sometimes when he flush or acted embarrass it was so cute.

Groaning Inui slid out of the shower letting his body cool down from the heated shower. He could never believe that Kaidoh would say something so suggestive 'pleasure of the world' indeed.

Maybe he could go away from the world he travel too-after all he wanted to know more about Kaidoh. Surely he knew the alterego of Thoth whom was outspoken on the net, incredibly brillant, and smart. He suspected that it was the inner voice of the ever shy boy Kaidoh. If he were to perhaps get closer, he might discover whether or not the other was the same.

-Yes- Kaidoh did interest him greatly, more so now that he knew him on a personal basis on the net. Slowly dressing he headed toward the fridge to rummage inside, noticing that some of the products were moldy and needed to be cleaned out, but he could save that for later.

His relatives had offer for him to move in with them, which was quite gracious he admitted, but he didn't want to burden them. Let alone move away from the school that was ever so close by. He also didn't want to leave those people in the school, in a way they were like a second set of family to him, and he would feel immensely sad.

World goes round.
I follow, yet indecisively.
Will I continue to follow with these steps.
-Or- will I fall off the face of the Earth?

Take me-away.
Far away-so that I may hide.
Hide away these hands of reality.
Fate has three.
Strings tied to an urn.

Time is Endless-but that is only to a certain point.

Inui knew that he didn't have long to enjoy these days with those around him. Things were changing, time was flying, and he was growing older. Change was inevitable. The net was growing, and so in turn was the world around him, nothing every last the same.

Inwardly-he knew, and inwardly he cried for nothing is forever or is it?

Next day he shifted his backpack on his way to school there he was greeted by people, whom gave him sympathy, some even pity. He didn't need that. To them they pass by him like shadows black and white, ghosts if one would say, there was no color, and the feeling of numbness still held onto him from crying so much in grief.

Until he found himself on the courts a figure standing before him, with hands stretch out. "Sempai."

Lifting his head he felt those warm heated eyes staring at him, "Kaidoh."

"Time-is always on your side." Cryptic the message, but it was something that he needed to hear, for Kaidoh was helping him, in his own way.

"Aa-"

The mamushi patted him on the shoulder then walked away, there was no sympathy in the other, no pity and that was something that Inui needed. Time slipped slowly through the hour glass, and he could feel that he was growing older, slowly things shifted the world stop becoming grey.

Color started to filter into the world once again, and he began to forget the pain, slowly he was drawn into another's world. It was different, quiet, and peaceful with the trickling of water in the background.

Balance was evident in Kaidoh's world, it was filled with a sense of brillance that if people look closely, they would recognize the kindness of such a boy. People always base things on appearance and atitude, they did not realize that there was a certain depth that one could find if they dig and stay close to another.

So things revolved Inui getting closer into Kaidoh's world and learning about the other. In a way he enjoyed the real life Kaidoh compare to the one online, but by what he could deduct they weren't that much different. Hidden in all these layers of bricks and shields he could see Thoth that was hiding inside Kaidoh.

Slowly things progressed and he and Kaidoh had gotten together. But there was a certainty he could trusth Karou. The other was dependable and reliable, he was someone that would hold secrets for all time, and this interested Inui deeply.

For Karou was one in a million, and in a way he became the Haven that the computer world could not give to Inui. Kaidoh Karou became Inui's escape from the pain in his life.

He was happy-because sometimes it was better to run away, but even so if it was with someone you love. So there it is another addiction but this one Inui couldn't break if his life depended on it. Though surely so Inui seriously doubt he would like to break this type of addiction.

Let us escape.
Away from these grievous times.
Let us run away.
And-hide in our paradize.
Yes, let us all escape.
With the person we love.

Owari
6-16-04