A/N: I watched No.6 all in one sitting yesterday...I can't wait until the next episodes come out. And I want to find somewhere to read the novels, definitely...

Lady, Shall I Lie in Your Lap?

"'For who would bear the whips and scorns of time, th' oppressor's wrong, the proud man's contumely, the pangs of despised love, the law's delay, the insolence of office, and the spurns, that patient merit of th' unworthy takes, when he himself might his quietus make with a bare–'"

"What are you doing?"

Shion looks up from the large book, a blank look on his face. "Reading," he answers in a matter-of-fact tone. After all, it was one of his favorite past times while staying with Nezumi. He wasn't sure why Nezumi was giving him such a strange look until he notices the other boy was staring at the title. Shion laughs then. "Oh, well, I wanted to read Hamlet today."

Nezumi scoffs, walking past him and lying on the bed they shared. "And may I ask why you're reading Hamlet?" he asks dryly.

Shion scooches to the edge of the couch, closing the book and glancing over at Nezumi. He figures it's a rhetorical question, so he doesn't answer that specific inquiry. "I've been thinking a bit. Logically, you know, like my friend Safu." At school in No.6, they were taught problem solving techniques in the advanced track, of course, but Shion didn't mention this. "Since you're such a great actor, you must be pretty good at reading people, huh?"

Nezumi grunts, turning from him. "Where are you going with this pointless line of questioning?"

"No where specifically," Shion admits, shrugging as he reopened the book. "I just think I probably have to work hard to figure you out, since you're so…closed off."

Nezumi bristles, letting the blunt statement annoy him. "Is it such a big deal to figure me out?"

"Haha, of course not," Shion says. "I still trust you completely, no matter how little or how much I know. I just like knowing more about you, Nezumi."

Nezumi didn't respond, and after a few minutes, Shion had figured he'd gone to sleep. So the boy simply continues to read Hamlet. Shion's completely sure Nezumi is asleep when the boy starts kicking and twitching, having a nightmare. Shion sighs, closing his book again and gazing over at Nezumi. "The lady doth protest too much, methinks."

He lets his gaze linger over Nezumi a moment longer before getting up and sitting next to Nezumi's sleeping form. Shion brushes a bit of Nezumi's hair out of his face, but what was supposed to be a relaxing gesture bolted the boy back into consciousness. He tensely looks up blearily at Shion, then sighs, relaxing again. "Don't startle me. I'm a light sleeper."

Shion frowns apologetically. "Sorry. You looked like you were having a nightmare, though." He suddenly grins. "Lady, shall I lie in your lap?"

"No, my lo—" Nezumi suddenly glares at Shion. "Are you just going to quote that book like an idiot now?"

"I mean, my head upon your lap?" Shion says, starting to laugh to himself. Nezumi turns away from Shion then, who only laughs harder. "I can't believe you almost answered it like the play says!"

Nezumi is almost sulking. He turns back to Shion, face unreadable, then comments, "O! what a noble mind is here o'erthrown." Nezumi pokes Shion in the forehead, adding, "Except your mind isn't so noble."

Shion grins innocently. "Really? Then what is it?"

"Are you asking if I have you all figured out?" Nezumi says. "You're not hard to figure out. You're a complete airhead. An ignorant ex-citizen of No.6."

Shion frowns a little at that, leaning over and looking directly down at Nezumi. "…I suppose," he says, looking thoughtful, "but I don't intend to be ignorant forever. I'm trying."

Nezumi sighs, tugging at Shion's arm until the boy is laying beside him. This elicits a grin from Shion. "This isn't laying in your lap though, m'lady."

"I should have hidden that book from you," Nezumi muses. "I get enough of it as Eve."

Shion is silent for a moment, watching Nezumi's face as the other boy closes his eyes. He finds his eyes lazily taking in all of the other boy's features, and then settling on his lips. Shion feels himself blushing a bit, suddenly very tempted to kiss him. Not like before, not like a farewell, but maybe as a spontaneous challenge. It was a bit cruel to be tempted to kiss Nezumi in order to make him reconsider 'knowing' Shion, but Shion would be lying if he said that was the only reason.

So he does it. He leans in and kisses the unsuspecting boy, feeling his heart beginning to pound and tasting Nezumi's lips. He pulls back, watching Nezumi open his eyes and stare at him. Nezumi touches his own lips, asking, "I hope you aren't trying to go run off somewhere again."

Shion laughs at this. "Come on now, you have me figured out, I thought!"

"So that's it, huh," Nezumi says idly, sighing and pulling Shion to his chest. Shion's surprised by this— he begins to turn red as he listens to Nezumi's heart.

Nezumi just stares up at the ceiling, enjoying a bit too much the feeling of Shion so close. Shion was easy to figure out sometimes, like his expected ignorance and insatiable curiosity, but then there were times when he was so airheaded and stupid and just so…warm and honest. And it wasn't that Shion was so strange, it was the fact that Nezumi felt like a stranger in his own body with him around, because it was only around Shion that he'd feel so off balance, so easily annoyed, so…vulnerable.

Nezumi, despite himself, presses a chaste kiss to Shion's cheek. "When we go to the Bureau of Peace, make sure you stay close to me, if you can."

Shion nods, listening to the heartbeat of the stranger he knew so well.