Will stood still surprised in the bathroom by the door after Isaac had shoved the yellow pajamas into his arms and closed the door. Figuring there was nothing else better to do then to shower, Will stripped himself out of his clothes after he rested the pajamas onto the vanity. He examined his options for soaps and shampoos, settling on one that seemed the least magical.

After he cleaned himself up, Will sat in the tub letting the water from the shower-head wash over him. Steam filled the room and eased Will into thought.

What's happening to me here? The longer I'm here the more pain I feel from my emotions... But why am I letting them get to me like this?

Anger and frustration, mixed with sadness and pain. Those were the bitter emotions Will felt at the moment.

He thinned his blue eyes as he stared at the water pooling on the polished glaze of the tub before it went down the drain. These bitter emotions... They only drag you down.

Suddenly Will stood, letting his eyes be blank of sight as the blood rushed through him in chaos after standing too quickly. And I don't need that.

Just as his sight was returning there was a loud slam against the bathroom door making him jump with a start.

“Open this damn door right, Dove!” came a very angry shout, probably at the top of their lungs. Then another slam and then the door knob shook. “Open it! I have to get in there!”

Will startled, shifted out of the shower, pulling a towel around his waist.

“I know you're in there! Now, if you'd be sooooo kind~ GET OUT!!!” Came another shout and a few bangs, probably from their fist against the door.

Will turned off the water and went to the door. He unlocked it, using a few seconds to compose all of his emotions and stuffed them down as a rock drops into pond. Slowly, Will opened the door with a curious look on his face. His blue eyes met golden ones.

“Finally, you took... long.... enough...” Crow's anger evaporated as he realized who had been in the shower. His wide eyes took in the sight before him. Even though it was black and white and gray from his achromatopsia, Crow wasn't dumb enough not to realize that Will looked really sexy like that.

Will had a curious look in his blue eyes housed by his crisp black lashes, with a few water drops clinging to them. His lips looked soft and wet, and his hair was smoothed back with a few small strands stuck to his cheeks and forehead. He had one hand holding the door open from the inside, hiding part of his body, but Crow could take in that Will had a towel only loosely around his hips and what lurked beneath that towel...

Crow couldn't take anymore of the sight he beheld, reached up and yanked the door shut.

His mouth stood gaping open as he tried to formulate clear words.

The first words spoken came from the other side of the door, a small soft voice. “Didn't you want in here?”

Crow's eyes jerked to the floor as he held the door shut firmly. “What? No~. No, no. No, no no no no no no no. No, no. Uh...You-- You just uh... Take your time and uh...”

“Are you sure? I'm done.”

“Ye-Yeah I'm sure. Please, uhm... Take your time and I'll uh.... --Don't mind me.” Crow let out a breath he hadn't realized he was holding as he hurried away from the door and back down to the kitchen.

Hearing Crow walk away briskly, Will opened the door wide enough for just one eye to assess where he had gone. Seeing that Crow had indeed left, Will shut the door. He glanced back to the shower and then to the pajamas. He didn't feel comfortable enough to get back into the water, and just started to dry himself off instead. After he hung up the towel on a drying rack and had dressed himself into the yellow pajamas, Will left out the bathroom.

He looked around for a moment for any sign of Crow, or anyone else. He saw the young man in black with red piercing eyes staring at him as he leaned with his arms crossed leaning against a door down the hall. He straightened up and waved at Will.

“This way.” He said just loud enough for Will to hear.

Feeling he shouldn't ignore this summons, Will walked toward the man in his bare feet. As Will got closer to him, the young man tilted his head down in a small bow-like nod.

“Akiio.” He said simply, then turned and started down the hall.

I guess, that's his name? Will thought to himself briefly, then followed him down the hall.

Since it was so dark, it was hard to keep track of where Akiio was walking but after a few moments, he stopped and opened a door. He gestured for Will to go inside. Will glanced at Akiio's red eyes briefly before he went into the room. Inside it was a warm small study with several books and sofas and chairs that all looked extremely comfortable to sit in.

“Oh, thank you for bringing him to me, Akiio.” came a velvety masculine voice emanating from a strong aura of power. Will looked to one of the high backed chairs and realized what the thought was a pile of expensive silks and fabrics was actually the strange dragon-man he had met briefly before outside.

Will took a step back, remembering that this man was a dragon and had wanted to eat Will. Akiio's hand rested on Will's shoulder as he had backed into him.

“Do come in, young man. I didn't come to eat you today. I merely offer you a proposition.” the man said with a slight smile, his long black hair smooth and flat and silk framing his green eyes. “Should you choose to accept, you will be under a special Protection Seal not offered often to people: A Blessing.”

Akiio pushed Will a bit more into the room as he backed out and closed the door. Will looked to the door and then back to the god.

“You're... Matéas?” Will asked unsurely.

A sly smile that Will wasn't sure was the best thing to have happen appeared on the god's face.

“Indeed. I am Matéas. God poisons, vapors and powders and other things people associate with both protection and death.” Matéas answered cooly. “And you? Who are you?”

Will opened his mouth to answer, knowing the fact of his history... But. Something was wrong. The information wasn't there. His memories of reality were so shaky that he couldn't recall anything. And as this realization came over Will, his blue eyes began to widen. He remembered what Crow had called him just earlier, but now it seemed like a lie.

Matéas's smile faded. He stood and like a fog, he moved toward Will, his fabrics and hair flowing with a mysticism. He stopped a few inches from Will, towering over the 5'3” young man, as he himself stood at 5'11”, nearly a full head taller.

“How sad.” Matéas stated plainly, but with the echo of pity in his voice. The sound of that pity made Will's eyes jerk up and he glared at the god's green eyes. Still, the god did not waver in his expression. He lifted a hand and touched it to the top of Will's head, gently moving the damp locks of pink hair to the side.

“You poor little honeybear. Someone is cruelly playing your mind, flipping over the swatches of your memories and mixing them up into a shattered mess.” Matéas spoke slowly, and softly. His words moved like velvet over Will soothingly.

He lifted Will's chin to look up at him, a sadness in Matéas's forest green eyes.