Love Knows No Bounds: Chapter One

Ryan flipped through his NANOPOD ("NANO Personal Operating Device") as he headed down the empty corridor. He had stayed late at the gym after work, and all he wanted to do now was go home and sleep. He had the weekend off for the first time in a long time, and he was going to spend it relaxing.

His family had already known that he was turning off all comms, too. After all, he spent half his workday on them. Ryan had also stated he wasn't going to bother to respond to emails, either.

For a Spacer, Ryan was rather short at 5'6", and lithely muscled. Some people at work teased him for his girly appearance, but he ignored them. Or so he thought. Maybe that was the reason that led to him staying at the gym so late jogging on the treadmills and lifting weights.

Of course, Ryan wasn't thinking about that. All he was paying attention to was the soft rock playing through his earbuds.

Despite Ryan's plans though - it didn't seem that that was what was going to happen. A rather bright male was in the alleyway, leaning against the wall. His hair was down to his mid back and just faintly wavy at the ends, and he had a tail that was as long as he was. The top of it was furless, but the bottom had soft, silky looking fur the same color as his hair. His ears were drooped almost to sagged shoulders - only the rim and a little inside being furred.

The brightly colored male looked up when the human neared, his neon blue eyes faintly glowing as they drowned in misery. Upon catching the other's eyes - at least for a moment the man's expression became one of shock. His ears picked up a little from his shoulders and he stood up from the wall but didn't move away.

Ryan, it seemed, didn't notice the other, happily minding his business as the songs continued. The only thing he seemed to do different after a time was shift his gym bag from one hand to the other. The human had... oddly delicate looking wrists.

The man watched him slip by, swallowing hard. He hesitated, reaching up to touch something in his hair. Sucking in a breath, he shoved his hands into his pockets and started down the alley, following the other, slipping in close.

Luckily Ryan didn't notice. The only thing he did notice was a sharp prick in his neck and arms wrapping around him. Before he could even start to shout his vision went to black.

When he woke he only saw a white room, only to immediately close his eyes again, wincing in pain. Why did his head throb so much? He cupped his head, hissing as he tried to open his eyes again. This time he noticed it was white with gold trim... and gauzy, sheer curtains were around the bed he was on.

"The.. hell...?" he murmured, shifting.

A hand gently rested on his forehead. "Shh, it's okay," a gentle voice murmured. "You're safe," it assured him. The hand moved away and instead someone was helping him sit up and lean against the headboard, a cup being placed to his lips. "I know you hate the taste baby, but it'll help your headache." Whatever was in it did indeed smell pungent and would taste horrible, as most medicines tended to do.

He pushed weakly at the arm and tried to turn his head away from the cup to look at who was with him. When a man with furry looking ears and bright pink hair came into view he winced again and closed his eyes. "Who are you?" Ryan was trying to sit up.

The man hesitated, pulling the cup away. "You... don't remember?" the man asked quietly - actually sounding a little hurt. He took a shaky breath, obviously trying to steady himself. "It... It's okay. The doctor said you might... might have trouble remembering. I'm Natala, your mate," the man explained carefully. "Please, the medicine will help your head," he assured, placing it in the human's hand.

"I.. I don't have a mate." Ryan furrowed his eyebrows. "I'm not even dating anyone..." He rubbed his neck, only to wince again when his fingers went over a bruise. It was then he remembered the sting he felt before.

"Yes you do," the man said weakly, ears wilting. Natala smoothed over the bedsheets before putting a hand to his cheek. "Please, baby. I know it's hard. Please." He sounded distressed - pained. Like the other's words physically hurt.

The other scared him a bit. Ryan moved away, or tried to at least. He ended up wincing a bit. "I was walking home... then everything went black. What happened?"

"We were coming home from the doctor. The medicine, it made you get really sick and you passed out." The pink male moved further onto the bed so he was pressed lightly against Ryan. "You really don't remember? Anything?"

He moved away again, this time to the edge of the bed. "I was walking home from the gym. WHY would I have been walking home with someone from the doctor?" He glanced around, looking for the way out.

Hands stopped him this time, pulling him back over - gentle despite the firmness in which they did it. Then hands cupped his face and made him at least turn towards the brightly colored male. A forehead was pressed against the human's gently as he closed his eyes. "Please Mae. Let me help you remember," the strange male murmured softly.

Ryan's eyes widened in surprise as a sudden vision filled his head. It was him and he was with the other. Indeed, they were coming from the doctor's... "Natala....?" Now he was scared.

They'd been walking down an alleyway, and the pink male had been with him, an arm around his waist to keep him steady. "Shh, baby it's alright," he murmured. "It's okay. I'm here for you. I'll keep you safe."

Ryan had started to shake badly. What the hell was happening to him?

"Shhh." He pulled the other closer, wrapping an arm around the human's waist and pulling him into his lap sideways. His other hand gently took the cup away and set it aside before rubbing his back. "I know it's hard. I'm sorry, I'm so sorry baby, I am. You just have to trust me. I'll make it all okay again," he said, voice wavering as he hugged him tight, even rocking him gently.

"What's happening to me?" Ryan murmured, cupping his head.
He had been at the gym... hadn't he?

"It's the treatment. It... It has problems with memories. You couldn't tell your dreams from truth for awhile. I thought I'd lost you," he whispered. "But the doctor says you should be okay now. He sent you home. You've just gotta keep taking your medicine. I can help you remember if you have trouble."

"But..." he stopped himself. What was he going to do? Maybe... he could find a way out to see if this so called "dream" he had held any truth.

"If... If you don't want to take the medicine for your headache it's fine," he said quietly. "I could make you tea. Or something to eat. He said you should get your appetite back soon?" he said hopefully. "Do you think you could eat anything?"

"Tea... tea would be nice," he murmured.

"Any specific type? Saltak maybe?"

"Earl Grey..." he said. He had never heard of the other type.

He paused before nodding. "Okay baby. I'll be right back." He kissed his forehead, moving the other aside before he got up and slipped between the sheer gold curtains surrounding the bed. He went out of the room, quietly closing it behind him.

He stayed still for several seconds before standing. Ryan needed to get out... if only to figure things out.

The room was lavishly decorated - made for comfort and excessively clean. While it was bright thanks to the lights, there didn't seem to be any windows. And the only door, other than to the bathroom, was the way Natala had gone. Upon testing, it was locked.

He frowned at that and sighed. No escape. He looked around, trying to come up with a plan. Maybe.. he could wait near the door and... He nodded to himself. Yes. Wait for the other to come in and then flee.

After several minutes there was a gentle rap on the door before it opened. The pink male was precariously balancing a tea tray with a teapot and two cups, along with a few finger foods. "I brought a few things to nibble on if you think you can stomach them," he said brightly.

No one was in the bed. The moment he had stepped through the door enough Ryan slipped through, then bolted.

He blinked at the empty bed, head tilting. "Maela?" Then his ears picked up someone slipping behind him. He turned and blanched, putting the tray down quickly on a side table and following him. "You really shouldn't be out of bed so soon!" he called worriedly. "Let alone out of the sick room!" The taller male lengthened his stride and caught up with the human, snagging his arm and trying to pull him to a stop. "What's wrong?" he asked, forcing the other to move closer to him.

One would think with the coloring he'd be girlish - yet the strong jaw and thick brows it was obvious that he was more masculine than feminine. He also had a small braid on the right side of his head with multiple beads. Two blue followed by two black, then a white, another blue, a gold and then finally a black.

Ryan had tried to run when he realized the other was onto him. When he was grabbed he tried to struggle and get away. "I... I'm not supposed to be here. Let me out! I'm not sick!"

"You are!" The man said firmly - for once raising his voice a little. "You're sick baby. You have to get better! Please calm down, you'll have another attack if you don't," he said, voice going back to that soothing tone, even as he forcefully held him close. He dipped his head down to touch foreheads again. "Please," he whispered.

More visions filled Ryan's head... Him laying in bed, coughing, and Nat looking worried as a doctor fussed over him. Once more he started to shake. Was Ryan really his name? "Nat.. What's wrong with me?" he murmured softly, his eyes wide but not seeing the other in front as he was focusing on the memories.
Memories... Who was he really? Ryan or Maela?

"You got sick awhile back. It started with a fever then it went away," he said quietly. "You were fine for awhile then it got worse, you were weak and tired all the time. You'd have fits of coughing... And you.. You kept forgetting things. And you had headaches. Terrible headaches," he said quietly. He hugged him tighter as memories of those flickered through the human's mind. "Please, just come back to bed."

The human was silent for a long time before nodding slowly. "A-Alright... I'll come," he said meekly, his shoulders drooping a bit.

He smiled then and carefully led him back to the room and to bed. Once he was settled and under the covers he went back, closing the door and bringing over the tray. He poured a cup of tea and passed it over. "I'll leave you for awhile to think if you like," he murmured. "You should probably try to get more sleep."

He nodded, sipping the hot tea carefully. Sleep... it did sound good.

But when he woke who would he be?