Disclaimer: I do not own Akira or Shiki… T_T

Summary: It's been 2 years since Akira and Shiki escaped Toshima however, Shiki slowly became a shell of his former self. Akira has been caring for Shiki but too late, he discovered how he truly felt and how much he needed the other. Yet, it seems that something is changing. Shiki is waking up. Warning: Future Lemon

Pairings: Shiki/Akira

Warnings: Yaoi and Lemons! If you don't like yaoi then why are you reading this? Also, there will be battle violence, constructive criticism is allowed and flamers will be locked up with their flames and roasted alive.

A/N: Sorry this took so long, it was kinda hard to keep these two in character in this chapter and Shiki kept trying to kill me for making him so weakish. *sigh* Also, special thanks to Orcux for the very encouraging review, reading about how much you enjoy this story made me so happy, I finished this chapter at twelve midnight~! Anyway, I hope you guys enjoy this chappie and don't forget to review at the end~!

It takes one person to forgive, it takes two people to be reunited.

~Lewis B. Smedes

"Shiki!" Akira cried out, his voice shaking as he stared intensely at Shiki's face. For a moment there was no movement. Then, a single tear trickled down Shiki's pale cheek.

"So…ry…Aki…ra…"

Akira's eyes widened as Shiki, the cold and fearless champion of Igura said the one thing he thought the man would never say. While he wasn't sure what Shiki was apologising for, the loyal puppy quickly went to reassure the man.

"It's ok. It's…ok…*sniff* Shiki…" Akira smiled gently, cupping Shiki's face and staring into murky eyes.

"Welcome back…"

~TnC~

One week later

"Shiki, I made you some soup." Akira smiled as he entered the bedroom holding a small bowl of fragrant soup with a few vegetables floating in its centre. He carefully placed the bowl on the bedside table before walking over to the dark haired man sitting in his wheelchair with a familiar frown on his face as he stared at the light of a flickering lamp.

"Shiki?" Akira called tentatively as he gently laid a hand on the man's shoulder. Shiki frowned further, continuing to stare at the small fire for a moment before speaking.

"Why are you still here?" Akira blinked, taken aback by the question, unable to formulate a response and thus settling for a simple. "Eh?"

Shiki's eyebrow twitched as though in irritation as he elaborated.

"I released you when we left Toshima. So why are you still here? I was certain as I faded, that you would leave me to die." Shiki stated simply, turning to stare intensely at the silverette as though trying to undress him with his eyes.

Akira blushed as he remembered how many times the man had done exactly that when they were in Toshima. Shaking off his memories, he smiled serenely as he answered.

"Because I love you."Shiki's eyes widened at the shameless confession. Unaware that at this point, Akira was simply too happy about finally having the chance to confess his feelings, that it would be a few hours before he felt horrified at his own words. Shiki frowned again for a moment before releasing a soft snort.

"I see. You think that you love me. Humph. I didn't expect you to be so susceptible to my conditioning."

"Hah?" Akira released an offended sound, glaring at the tired looking man.

"Look. I'm not too sure how it happened too, but I'm being serious! I really do l—"

"You only think you love me. It's called Stockholm Syndrome." Shiki cut across Akira curtly in a tone that brook no argument. This only served to further Akira's anger as the silver haired man grabbed Shiki's shoulders and shook him, being careful not to hurt the fragile man.

"That's why I'm telling you that it's not something like that! I really love you! Even though you're a jerk and I really don't understand you sometimes!" Akira shouted, glaring daggers at the man who simply looked at him with a cynical expression.

"So you love me despite how much I've hurt you?" Shiki's arm shot out, his hand wrapping around Akira's throat with surprising strength, considering how frail he appeared.

"Or is it perhaps because I hurt you? Are you really such a masochist?" Shiki smirked, pulling the gasping man close to his face and sinking his teeth into Akira's shoulder.

"Ah!" Akira released something between a gasp and a moan, feeling light headed at the sharp pain of Shiki's teeth pressing into his skin, drawing small beads of blood. Yet, this time, it wasn't the pain that made fire surge through his veins, it was the fact that it was Shiki. Shiki's teeth, Shiki's lips, his firm hand pressing against his throat, just tight enough to restrain without actually choking him.

"Shi…ki…nng…"

"…!" Red eyes widened. The sharp taste of iron on his tongue jolting Shiki back to reality. He pulled his teeth from Akira's flesh, grunting as he abruptly shoved the silver haired man away from him.

Akira gasped, choking as he narrowly avoided the edge of the bed, loosing his balance and tumbling to the floor. The dazed man coughed for a moment before staring in shock at Shiki, wondering why the man had pushed him away so suddenly. Even so, Akira soon rushed to his feet in worry as Shiki began to grip his head, his shoulders shaking in anguish. The silver haired man quickly moved to Shiki's side, reaching out in concern.

"Shiki! Are you alri—"

Smack!

The loud sound resounded through the small room as Shiki panted, his hand still in the air after he had slapped Akira's hand away. Akira's eyes watered, his face twisting up in frustration.

"Why? Why won't you look at me?! Why are you pushing me away?!" Akira shouted, glaring at Shiki's blurred figure. Hadn't he done enough? Hadn't he stood by Shiki and protected him? So why? Why hadn't Shiki spoken to him since he woke up? Why did he refuse to look Akira in the eye?

"…Why?…I don't understand…" Akira shook as he tried to withhold his tears.

Red eyes that had been focused on Akira's feet finally shifted up to meet silver orbs. Shiki's eyes filled with self-hate as he looked upon the only person he had left. The person whom he had hurt once again. Shiki averted his eyes.

"I'm not good for you. All I can give you is suffering. Go, leave me and find someone who won't hurt you. Someone who can give you what you deserve."

Shiki turned his wheelchair, grimacing as he pushed the wheels, slowly moving towards the bed that he climbed onto with slight difficulty. All the while, Akira simply stood in the centre of the room. His eyes shadowed by his silver fringe.

Shiki wordlessly settled himself into the bed, his eyes darkening when he heard Akira leave the room. I did the right thing. I've done so many terrible things to complete my mission. This is the least I can do for the one who rescued me from my own insanity with his voice, that night in the rain.

Shiki's eyes closed as he recalled how Akira had looked at him when they first met. Fearless eyes full of fire. He remembered how relieved he had been, how pleased he had been that he had found someone worthy of being by his side, that he no longer had to be alone. He remembered how he had been irritated at Akira's behaviour when he found the dog collapsed in the rain next to the body of his friend. He remembered how he had taken the beautiful creature to his hideout and marked him with a piercing.

Shiki sighed, the silver haired man had no doubt removed his mark by now, after the way he had humiliated the man, making him masturbate before his eyes. He remembered how he had ruthlessly taken Akira's body in the bathroom. How his pet had moaned and wailed in pain and pleasure as Shiki raped him till he bled.

Most of all, he remembered how right it had felt when he joined with Akira the second time, his heart still raw from murdering his own brother. He remembered how numb he had felt, he remembered how Akira's cries and his warmth had soothed the chill in his heart. He remembered how Akira had wrapped his arms around him, warming his heart even further.

He remembered how his heart had ached so wonderfully as he gazed that Akira's beautifully flushed and sated face, how he had not been able to withhold himself from bending down and pressing his lips to Akira's. Oh how warm and sweet were his lips… Shiki's heart had sung with a nameless feeling as he revelled in the comfort of Akira's…of whatever it was about Akira that took away the pain of his loneliness.

Shiki's eyes watered as he remembered how happy he had been, how at peace he had felt and how, for a moment, he wanted nothing more than to spend eternity with his pet. How a part of him had begged him to forget Nano, to simply take Akira out of Toshima and spend the rest of their lives together….yet, he couldn't.

So while he spoke of Nano to Akira, he promised himself that when he had finished his mission, he would release Akira and allow himself to waste away. But Akira hadn't left. He had never expected to return from the self-created prison within his mind. He had thought that Akira was too afraid of him to leave while he was still conscious and so he had faded, believing that he would never return.

Yet Akira had stayed, thinking about it, perhaps the silver haired man believed that he owed Shiki for his protection or perhaps the man really was suffering from Stockholm Syndrome. Even so, he knew how unworthy he was, all he knew was pain and suffering. That was all he had left, he had given up everything for his goal. No, Akira deserved someone who had everything to give him.

As Shiki drifted off to sleep, a single tear rolled down his face as he thought...

I'm doing the right thing…

A/N: So? How was it? I know Shiki's a bit OOC…ok very OOC. But it can't be helped! I kinda believe that while at that time, he didn't understand what he was feeling, I'm convinced that he felt something for Akira and as I kinda see his 'fading away' as more of a mental breakdown when everything suddenly changed for him and his head needed some empty time to reboot. So I kinda see it as a Shiki who's kinda so called 'forgotten' his obsession with Nano, well, more like forgotten the feelings he had associated with Nano. Thus, I'm sure that before Nano popped into his life, he had actually been a rather normal person who knew how to give a damn about people. I mean, all evidence points to the fact that he kinda cared about Rin until Nano pretty much fucked him up. So, he's kinda done a rewind to his personality before meeting Nano and he's beating himself up for hurting Akira due to his own loneliness at the time. I hope that answers any questions and I hope it made sense. So, please review and tell me how much you enjoyed this chapter. Ciao~!