Chapter Seven.
The first thing Klein felt was heat.
It pulsed beneath his skin like molten glass, thick and unbearable, as though his very blood had turned to fire. The soft sheets beneath him only made it worse — trapping the warmth, clinging to his sweat-slicked skin.
He stirred with a faint gasp, mind sluggish, throat dry. The ceiling above him blurred and twisted in the faint light, its pattern shifting like smoke. His heart hammered in his chest, too fast, too loud.
Where—
The thought shattered halfway through. He remembered the hallway — the light, the voice, that stranger's smile — then nothing.
He tried to sit up. The movement made the world tilt, black spots dancing at the edge of his vision. The room wasn't familiar: velvet drapes, golden light flickering from a lamp on a nearby desk, faintly sweet smoke curling in the air. He wasn't in the hotel anymore.
His breath hitched. The heat inside him coiled tighter, clawing from beneath his ribs, itching and burning in the same breath. His body felt too small for it, too fragile. He tugged at his collar, desperate for air, but even that small movement made his skin throb.
"Awake already?"
The voice came from the doorway — calm, smooth, as if nothing at all was amiss.
Klein's gaze snapped toward it.
The young man stood with the faintest of smiles, monocle gleaming in the lamplight, black coat draped casually over his arm. He looked almost bored — elegant, composed, and untouched by the oppressive heat that suffocated Klein's every breath.
The man took a step forward, slow in pace like he was walking in the park — calm, deliberate, a predator who knew there was no need to chase what couldn't escape. His shoes clicked softly against the floor, each sound threading through Klein's pulse like a metronome counting down.
"You don't look well," he said, tone deceptively mild. "Though I suppose that's expected."
Klein tried to speak, but the words tangled in his throat. The air was thick, every breath dragging fire down into his lungs. He swallowed hard, forcing out a whisper. "Hot… water… I need water…"
A soft chuckle answered him, low and unhurried. "Water?" The man tilted his head slightly, the light catching on his monocle.
"Alright." The man went to the side of a mini fridge and took one bottle of water. He twisted the cap as he slowly went to Klein. Klein looking at him could help but crave for the water as he thought his body and throat were burning.
The stranger swirled the bottle idly in his hand, condensation dripping down his fingers. He crouched just enough to meet Klein's blurred gaze, the plastic cap making a faint crack as he twisted it open.
"Here," he said, voice as smooth as the surface of still water.
Klein tried to sit and reached out, his hand trembling, but the man didn't pass it to him immediately. He simply watched — those black eyes gleaming behind the monocle, sharp and assessing, the faintest curl of amusement tugging at his lips.
"Thirsty?"
Klein nodded, desperate. His throat ached, his lips dry, tongue heavy.
Amon lifted the open bottle, studying it for a heartbeat before taking a slow, deliberate sip. His gaze never left Klein's face, sharp and teasing. The faint scent of water and smoke lingered in the air, adding to the charged atmosphere.
Klein's stare locked helplessly onto the water glistening across Amon's lips, a shiver crawling down his spine as an instinctive, desperate swallow tightened his burning throat.
Without warning, Amon tilted the bottle, letting a single drop fall onto Klein's parted lips. The cold splash made Klein gasp involuntarily, his body jerking at the unexpected chill. Amon's eyes gleamed with amusement as he slowly tilted the bottle again, this time allowing more water to trickle over Klein's trembling lips.
Klein choked a little at the sudden splash, coughing as the cold water slid down the wrong way. His body lurched forward, but Amon's hand shot out, steadying him with effortless precision — fingers curling lightly around Klein's jaw, tilting his face upward.
"Careful," Amon murmured, voice low with something that wasn't quite concern. "You'll waste it."
The grip wasn't tight, yet Klein couldn't pull away. His skin thrummed beneath the contact, every nerve sharpened until even the faint brush of Amon's fingertip felt too much — too hot, too cold, too everything. His breath hitched, half a sob, half a plea he couldn't voice.
Amon's thumb gently brushed over the corner of Klein's mouth, wiping away a stray bead of water. Without hesitation, he took a slow, deliberate sip from the bottle, his gaze never leaving Klein's.
Seeing Klein's lips part in surprise and desperation, Amon leaned in further. With a deliberate, teasing motion, he pressed his mouth softly to Klein's, capturing his lips in a gentle, lingering kiss. The water from the bottle was transferred in that shared breath—Amon's mouth moving slowly, coaxingly, to let the liquid flow from his lips into Klein's.
Klein's body tensed at first, overwhelmed by the sudden intimacy and the feverish heat burning within him. His lips parted slightly, accepting the transfer, his breath hitching as Amon's mouth lingered, sharing the cold water and the intimate connection. Every nerve in Klein's body was alight, hyper-sensitive to the sensation of Amon's lips, the warmth contrasting sharply with the icy water still lingering on his skin.
After a moment, Amon pulled back just enough, his lips glistening slightly from the shared water. His gaze was playful but lurking. "There," he murmured softly, voice thick with teasing amusement. "That's better, isn't it?
Klein blinked up at him, breath ragged, cheeks flushed, body trembling from the fever and the closeness. The air between them was heavy with unspoken tension, and Klein's lips still tingled from the shared kiss, the water inside him leaving a strange, lingering sensation.
His body still trembled from the fever and the lingering heat, but strangely, the burning sensation inside him had eased, replaced by a cool, tangled ache that echoed the softness of the kiss. His lips felt swollen, hypersensitive to the faintest touch, and a strange, craving pulse thrummed in his chest.
He looked up at Amon, eyes half-lidded, breath uneven. The air between them crackled with unspoken tension—electric, heavy. Klein's fingers twitched, aching for something more, something he couldn't quite name but desperately wanted to feel again.
Amon's smile lingered, knowing and slow, as if he could read Klein's mind. He tilted the bottle once more, the faint glug of water echoing softly, then uncapped it again, offering the remaining liquid with a silent invitation.
Klein's gaze flicked to the water, then back to Amon's dark, assessing eyes. His lips parted slightly, lips already tingling from the shared kiss, his body aching for more contact, more closeness.
He thought he was insane—for craving this. But he couldn't help it. The hunger burned brighter than the fever now, and he wanted more of whatever this was—more of the icy relief, more of this intimacy.
Amon watched Klein's feelings painted plainly on his face, amusement flickering behind his eyes.
Truth be told, Amon's way of playing with his toys was never about pleasure—it was about amusement. He liked to call it a "prank." But anyone who had witnessed those so-called pranks would rather offer their heads than become the subject of one.
This was a first for Amon. That didn't mean he was clueless—far from it. He'd seen such things countless times before, even orchestrated them on occasion, though they had never once piqued his interest.
Until now.
Klein, weak and trembling, reached out and grabbed Amon's sleeve, eyes locked onto the water and lips, as if seeking for more. His thoughts are sinking in deep muddy waters, he could not think clearly but he knows one thing for sure.
He wanted more.
Amon's lips curled into a strange smile before letting out a chuckle as he watched Klein's eyes lose focus in desire.
In a single, swift motion, Klein was pushed back onto the bed, he laid flat as a looming figure stared above him like he was a meat presented to a wolf.
At this moment, a short clarity came into him.
He has fallen into the abyss.