Valli wakes up warily. Groaning under his breath, unscarred eyes squint tighter for a moment as he processes where he is. Keeping his eyes closed, he takes note of the temperature. Instead of cold and damp, as he knows most monsters go for, he is warm, and a comforting, familiar scent is entering his nostrils. His eyebrows furrow, wondering how and why Kane's musky, earthy aroma overwhelms his disoriented senses. He's lying down, he concludes as his fingers press and tug at the soft yet firm surface beneath him. A mattress. I'm under blankets — a thick comforter. Valli's mind rushes information to the front, identifying what he is cautiously reaching out to touch. His hands slide along the soft fabric of the sheets, feeling the dramatic drip to his left, the large spot still warm.

Testing his ears, he takes a calming breath to focus. There is no sound in the room he seems to be in, only a gentle breeze from, what he assumes, is a window to his right. An open window lets the outdoors in, the clucks of chickens and the deep faraway calls of cows and goats; a stream. The confusion grows — I'm at home. He recognizes the assumed half-layout of the room, the sounds, and even the scents in his room. Only, everything feels off. Something changed, dramatically. A voice echoes from the hallway, faint and mere whispers in the air. He can't discern it, which spreads unease through his veins. Time passes slowly, the man lying still to allow his senses and mind to settle and adjust.

I was at the market, with Addy and Ma. Valli dives into his memories to unravel what happened to him. Kane was in the house. We had a break, and people left. Swallowing, the tension in his eyebrows increases, and his cheeks dimple as his lips tighten. I didn't feel a threat, but something grabbed me from behind. A cold hand covered my mouth, and then the ground under me disappeared and I must've been knocked out somehow. There was no time to fight. I was ambushed.

If I'm at home, in my bed, what happened? What day is it? Valli fights himself, going over the day he remembers being taken. But nothing stood out, he hadn't heard or felt another presence that wasn't his Aunt or Sunny. All the visitors had left — there was no one near him. The engraved red alerts in his bones would, should have gone off. The pieces don't connect. He isn't sure what time it is, or how long he laid in bed.

Sighing, his eyes pop open. Bright yellow sunlight filters in through the window and the vibrant white ceiling above him startles a scream from his throat, the sound ripping from his vocal cords and throbbing vaguely as wide, unscarred eyes widen. The room is painted a calming shade of lavender, light and airy. Cobalt blue curtains hang from the windows on the right wall to the bed, revealing the vibrant green trees and the muddy, soggy stream bank, and the old, worn dark wooden fishing shed. His bed has matching sheets and a comforter to the curtains, a deep blue that pairs with the walls. There are comfy chairs in the corners, and tiny reading nooks with cute lamps on round, wooden end tables. Large black bookcases line the opposite wall of the windows, an ottoman between them. By the door is a dresser, piled with clothes he knows wouldn't fit him and various sharp knives and large guns.

" — See! I can see!" Blinking, he trails his eyes over everything he thought he would never see again, the colors, the objects that were mere shades in a deep void yesterday. He's overwhelmed, sucking in breaths only for them to stutter out of his heaving chest. Thin hands rush to his face, shaking fingers trace over his temple and eyes, tears wet his fingertips and cheeks upon finding the scars that took away so much, missing. Lowering his palm, Valli stares at his trembling hands in disbelief. Long fingers, thin bones, and veins move under his fragile flesh. Sobbing, his lips scowl as he fights the urge to celebrate. "This is impossible. I can never see, again. Three docs told me that. Addy couldn't help with magic. This is wrong. So very wrong."

Valli spends long moments just staring at the room he's slept in since he was young, the changes he made before the attack. He remembers choosing the paint color and being so proud to be able to design his room the way he wanted. After it was finished, new furniture, new curtains, new everything to switch from teen to adult — then the accident happened. He never enjoyed the hard work he put into his room, no matter how many years he slept in it. He left that night smiling and bragging about how great his room looked, his mother agreed with a grin and his father teased the lavender walls. He returned months later, unable to see anything besides formidable darkness. He hadn't had time to worry over the room. Now, he cries to himself sat in the middle of the wide, soft mattress fit into a canopy bed draped with thick black fabric.

The door to the room is a thick slab of weathered gray solid wood, modern and sturdy. It's open, allowing him to see the hallway paint for the first time in years, a slightly faded white, calm and welcoming. However, he perks up instantly at the rumbling groan of the stairs and the hallway floor creaking under heavy, stomping steps. He rushes to wipe his eyes and suck in the stifling of his nose, he doesn't want to have tears blurring his new-found vision of Kane. Why is Kane coming to my room? His room is in the other direction on this floor. What if, since I never saw him, I can't see his face?

Valli inhales sharply once the mountain of a man appears in the doorway, the familiar bulk dominating the space he steps into easily. Ma told him Kane was broad, but he hadn't expected the man to barely fit in the doorway. Tall, beefy biceps, long legs, thick thighs; meaty throat, and massive hands. Sweat pants sit low on his hips, black fabric. A thin tank top stretches over the expanse of his chest, hugging his trimmed yet plushy waist. Kane is all muscle with soft fleshy bits in generous amounts, the perfect teddy bear in Valli's opinion. His eyes trail further up, nervous to study the man's face. His breath stops, wondering if this is his mind playing tricks on him or if the possible monster made a mistake.

Kane's eyes are colorless. While Ma and Addy told him the color of the Hunter's eyes, he hadn't seen that shade in years, and couldn't focus enough to go through his memories to find it. So, when he makes eye contact with his crush, there is no distinct color to them. Not black like a demon, the whites are still visible. Not red, yellow, or orange. Nothing points to a monster, but nothing gives the comfort of a human either. Not blue, green, or even gray. Simply a mix and an endless pit of colors, as if the iris can't decide which shade to stay on.

Valli holds his breath softly, breathing through his nose so slow his chest barely moves. What if the off feeling is a change in people? What if Kane is now some monster? The thought is cast off by a grumbled question, this time with the infliction of an inquiry. Huh, that's odd. He learned more uses for his voice. The hunter walks to the left side of the bed, the eyes unsettling even as his presence brings a sense of safety. "You good, Val? Heard you scream."

The nickname is also odd, Valli notes. The Kane he left in the house wouldn't have called him more than boy if he felt more talkative. His eyebrows feel stuck in a harsh furrow, confusion nearly unbearable as the towering man lowers onto the left side of the bed with a hushed grunt. The body mass fills the dip perfectly, the bed shaking with the sudden movement and jostling the frozen, surprised man. Valli startles only slightly, a light jerk of muscles under the gentle roughness of a finger gliding along his jaw. Kane would never touch me like this. He is stuck in pure shock, unable to move away even if he wants — he doesn't want to. Clearing his throat, his voice is hoarse. Can only blink as he stares at the caring, yet scary eyes flickering over his shocked expression. "Uh- yes. What happened?"

Breath brushes his smooth temple, the man closer than he ever had during training sessions. He is guided back onto the mattress by the hand, and laid on his back. Then one of Kane's meaty arms drapes over his waist, and Valli yelps softly when he is tugged into a firm chest, a softness to him the bewildered man hadn't expected. He felt the deep chuckle at his surprise, the sound vibrating through his blood. The smug smirk witnessed on plush, slightly chapped lips. The large Hunter nuzzles into the crook of Valli's neck, the man's eyes widening incredulity at the uncharacteristic action. The coarse hair of a five o'clock shadow grazes his skin, goosebumps popping along his flesh at the feeling.

"Ma said you just fainted in the garden. Don't know what happened. Is your head okay?" The words are soft, another thing Kane must've learned in the time Valli was out. As well as the callused, sun-tanned palm warming his forehead, checking his temperature.

"My head feels okay," Valli responds, slowly, uncertain. Tilting his head, his chin brushes Kane's forehead. Blond hair tickles his nose, causing him to wrinkle it to cease the itch. "But what happened at the market? Someone grabbed me, and the ground –"

"Huh?" Is the bemused response, Kane raises his head, the piercing gaze of his discolored eyes trailing over Valli, bushy eyebrows furrowed tightly. He states, a simple fact to him. "You haven't been down there in a few weeks, you've been in the basement studying. Don't ya remember?" The man huffs, humored. "Had your nose in a damn book, ignoring me n'shit and you don't even remember. Figures." He ends it with a light kiss on the back of his jaw, soothing the probable sting of the teasing words.

This is so weird, Valli recognizes. He may have a crush and dreamed it, but this? It's almost too much, he might have whiplash from how quick a change it is. First, his sight is back, and now Kane is affectionate with him. In a very lover-boy way, as well. Forcing himself to focus, and not pay attention to the pleasant graze of prickly hair and soft breath, being pressed to the powerful chest and feeling the mighty thighs he only felt briefly in hand-to-hand combat, push against his legs. Or the fact he can discern colors, the baby blue sky peaking through the window and the tan flesh covering Kane. Voice soft, a whisper to match Kane's. Trying to explain patiently — and orders himself not to panic just yet. "Oh. But I remember being there, with Ma and Addy and something grabbed me. And, and I can see."

Kane sighs, concern edging into his tone. The heavy concern is shown by the frown, brows furrowed and his head cocked. The warm palm over his forehead shifts, thick fingers gently scanning Valli's head for bumps or bruises. "Must've hit your head harder than we thought. Ma said you might've hit a bookshelf or something." Kissing his cheek, the man tries to reassure him, cooing gently. (Who would have thought Kane was able to coo) "You've always been able to see, Val."

Quickly, Valli hurries to clarify, wanting to avoid anyone thinking he is injured. Although, maybe I am. I do feel a little weak all of a sudden. And, well, the mystery of my eyes — and Kane's it appears. His body is sore, bones heavy and his head is fuzzy, yet at the same time, they feel far away — phantom tingles he can barely poke at with his subconscious. The blood in his veins felt thin as if it was draining so slowly he hadn't noticed at first. Something is wrong, more than what's obvious, but what? "Kane, I'm okay! Really! I'm just weak is all, maybe I haven't eaten much today. You know how I am when I'm studying–" Then he stops short, only now catching the words the other finished with. Shaking his head in denial, unable to accept it. "No. I've been blind for six years. A werewolf hunt. You know this."

"Werewolf?" The concern is only growing, the pure confusion in Kane's voice tells him as much. The barely there shake of his head, the twist of worry in his expression, and the narrowness of his eyes show him as much. I really hope this is a nightmare. This is torture. Being able to see was a dream before, but this is all wrong and warped. Kane props up on his elbow, leaning over Valli. "What are talking about? Werewolves aren't real. You've been reading too much, Val. Maybe I should ask your parents to wait a bit before they stop by. Ma and your Aunt are already worried."

"My– my parents?!" Suddenly, the vision of Kane goes blurry, tears well up in dry eyes and his breaths come in short shutters. My parents are alive. No. NO– that is wrong. I watched them die. I remember the screams and the blood before the werewolf lunged for me. Wetly he sniffs, rises, and shakes his head, jumping off the bed so fast he stumbles on unsteady feet. Kane follows and quick reflexes spur in action to help Valli balance with hands on his upper arms. Shouting as he struggles against the strong grip, "My parents are fucking dead!"

"Valli! Val!" Kane wrangles the slimmer body against his torso, holding tight until Valli weakens minutes later and cries into the gray tank top the man wears. Tightly, he clings to Kane for some form of grounding, fists stretching the fabric. Sighing, Kane lowers his head to rest on the mop of brown tangled hair and wraps his arms fully around the lithe frame. Murmuring, explaining the reality as kindly as he can, the French accent peaking through. "It was probably just a nightmare, bookworm. You're parents only moved to New Orleans, they visit often. Addy works from home, she's here more than I like. Ma lives with her in her house downstream. You are in college and work on the market. I run a mechanic shop under the carport. Do you remember any of this?"

"College? Mechanic shop?" Valli repeats, mistrust coloring the words. Breathless in the realization, his mind was unable to comprehend. Speaking increasingly fast as his emotions pile on top of each other. "There's no, no monsters? Or witches? What about Demons and Angels? Does no one hunt them?! They'd ruin the world!"

"... What have you been reading?" The larger man wonders, baffled by the babbling of his boyfriend. Shaking his head, he pulls back only a breath, cupping Valli's cheeks in his palms. The hazel iris of the half-greek man stares up at him, scared and confused, glossy. Pressing a kiss to his forehead, the mechanic suggests. "C'mon, let's go get you something to eat. Ma and Addy went home, I sent them away. Maybe we should just spend tonight alone, make sure you're alright."

"But–"

Valli can't protest against seeing the rest of the house, it'd be too overwhelming for him. He's already being steered into the hallway, Kane unyielding in his grip. All he receives is a kiss on his hair, the man chuckling at a thought he has. "Good thing flights from France take a while, my parents should probably get a hotel anyway. Hopefully, we'll have you settled by then. I know you hate when people fuss over ya, but this is damn freaky."

"You're telling me," Valli mumbles the agreement. Our parents are alive. No one hunts monsters, do they even exist? What is happening? It must be a creature, there is no way I dreamed of a whole different life. I need to figure this shit out, pronto.