Takashi tried to let Asa sleep as long as he could while he resumed his perch next to Hikari on her bed. He kept thinking of the image he had seen of her future over and over in his mind. She was going to be mated and have a child. She had leaned her back against his chest. He was holding her. She had looked up at him with her eyes shining brightly. A look of love, if he was not mistaken. It was such a spoiler for his life. He understood now why his parents told him not to use his ability casually. He wondered if anyone else's life felt spoiled like his life did right now.

He looked down at Hikari as she slept, studying her as if with new eyes. He wounded if he could escape the vision, but he was unsure now if he even wanted to try to evade it. Or he could take steps to make it happen. Or he could just not make any decisions and let it happen.

"What should I do?" he thought aloud. He wished his mother was nearby so he could ask her what to do. Or even Hikari's mother. Ask her what to do. He was scared of the idea that Hikari's father would find out by reading his mind. That would be just a nightmare. Her father would probably do everything in his power to stop it from happening.

"What did you say?" Hikari asked sleepily next to him. He had not even realized she was awake. It was the dead of night.

"Nothing," he replied, casting a side long glance over the Asa. He was groggy himself, but he wanted her to sleep as long as possible. He thought she had hardly slept while taking care of Lady Nanashi. Maybe an hour or two and then they could switch. "Why are you awake?" he asked her curiously.

"I'm thirsty," she replied, sitting up.

He went over to the table and fetched her a glass of water from it. He brought it over to her and handed it to her. She sipped at it, talking intermittently. "Let Asa sleep as long as you can... She's worried about my mother... Father once said Asa sees Mother as the child she never had... I can't imagine how she worried she is... When you wake her, tell her of your vision of my mother... So she can know she survives, please." She set the unfinished water down on her nightstand on the right side of the bed.

He looked down at her, his vision of her running through his mind. He opened his mind to the possibility of it happening, but feeling too scared to act on it.

"What are you staring at?" she asked.

"Nothing," he shook his head. He sat back down next to her, but did not look over at her. "Just noticing that you are feeling better," he blathered out.

It was in that moment that she grabbed his arm, making him turn so she could lay her head against his chest. She was still rather warm. He felt flushed by her heat.

He looked over at Asa, seeing she was still asleep. He looked down at Hikari, feeling the temptation to kiss her. If he did, he knew where that road would lead. If he did not, he know where that road would likely lead anyway. She looked back up at him, frowning slightly in curiosity.

He closed his eyes, trying to decide what to do. He gasped softly when he felt her lips brush against his in the briefest kiss. Before he could respond or kiss back, she brought her face down to his shoulder and chest, nuzzling him. From what he could see of her face and ears, she was red from blushing. He cautiously brought his arm around her. She did nothing to show it was an unwelcome move on his part.

When he started to shift his numb arm, she noticed. She said against his chest, "wake Asa when you are too tired and let yourself rest for a few hours."

She pulled herself away from him, not meeting his eyes shyly. She bit her lip, giving him the temptation to lean down and kiss her all over again. She looked up at him for just a split second before turning to lay back down.

She looked back at him, giving a short laugh. "You scared or shy?" she teased him. The look she was giving him was making his heart beat a little faster.

He cleared his throat, not sure what to say. "I..."

"Both," she said with a confident smile on her face as she snuggled herself down on her bed. She turned to face him though, her confident smile still draped all over her face.