So Shut Your Eyes, Kiss Me Goodbye...

She sauntered out of her kitchen upon hearing a series of thuds and creaks on the other side of the wall, accompanied by His voice.

The voice she'd heard oh so many times, but not in person.

But somehow, in this instance it was tarnished...

By drug or drink, or both combined.

Regardless, he was in the midst of climbing a rather high ladder perched to the left of the kitchen door she'd just walked through.

He giggled, his long black hair covering his face and fanning out somewhat on his shoulders as it always did.

She stared, wide-eyed, up at him as she took in the scene before her.

"Well the the red ones help me fly, and the blue ones help me fall..." he sang to himself at a moderate volume.

"And I...think i'll blow my brains againstthe ceiling..." he giggled again. And with that verse, her line of sight directed itself to his hands.

His hands, pale and long-fingered, gripped a length of semi-thick rope.

a rope.

"He's going to hang himself..." her eyes widened as the thought flashed across the suddenly blank screen of her mind.

Acting quickly, she grabbed a shorter ladder nearby and tapped the ladder he was on without a sound.

Not too hard...

But just enough to make him lose his balance and fall.

She closed her eyes at that moment, forcing them to flicker back open seconds later in an instant. He'd landed safely!

And strangely enough...

Without a sound. No yell, no thud, no grunt of effort. just a silent, graceful flight through the air (she presumed),while her eyes were closed, landing on a soft couch without even so much as an indentation of the fabric as soon as she'd opened her eyes.

He'd landed on his hands and knees, head down, the front of the couch facing the accursed ladder that towered in front of it while he himself faced the couch's cushions.

She dropped the ladder in surprise, realizing he'd transformed somehow--transformed into a latter form of himself. Shorter, flipped, glossy, jet-black hair just past his ears...tight black jeans...a black jacket with even darker stripes like a parade leader's complete with the silver star badge over his heart and the bright red bandana that rested in its usual place around his neck.

Silently, he lifted his head to look at her, greenish-hazel eyes glittering in the light and piercing her thoroughly. Skin pale white and smooth, thin pink lips gently pressed into a slight smile that was barely there. Somehow, gratitude was hinted at in his features. He glowed, sunlight reflecting off his skin as if he were an angel, and his eyes were ever so slightly narrowed in response to the bright light that paled in comparison to his skin.

...simply put, he was beautiful.

she smiled back without a sound, and with that...

...darkness.

She awoke with a start, pulse through the roof and emotions racing. She'd even been sweating a little.

A nightmare?

A dream?

A vision?

A fantasy?

The result of spicy Mexican food the night before?

What had it been? She wasn't sure. She blinked back tears and quietly slid from under her covers with a sigh.