Disclaimer: I'm just borrowing the characters for my own evil schemes.

Spoilers: BIG OCTOBER SPOILERS!!!

Written as a thank you gift for the ever-so-lovely bacon_sensei over on livejournal.

-- -- --

Wordless

-- -- --

Shinjiro had never been one for words. If there was something important that he wanted to express, he was far more comfortable doing so through his actions rather than long-winded explanations.

As such, Akihiko had never once heard the words, "I love you," fall from his lips.

Really, though, it was better that way. They had been like brothers during their younger years, friends later, and then had an uneasy, fragile allegiance to one another after Shinji left S.E.E.S. To put yet another name to their relationship… It would only hurt more when that one was broken like the others.

Besides, feelings were never in doubt when they were sweat-slicked and tangled together under a (silver, only ever silver) moon.

Shinjiro's love was wrought into every crush of his lips to Akihiko's, every harsh caress, every rough bite, and every low, possessive growl. The calloused pads of his fingers burnt the message into Akihiko's flesh in a way speech could never achieve.

It was clear to anyone who cared to see it that the brunette was devoted to the silver-haired youth, as evidenced by Junpei's awkward squirms, Minato's soft smile and Mitsuru's rolling eyes. It shone through in Shinji's careful grasp of Akihiko's shoulder, the aid he offered even when it was unnecessary, the cracks that appeared in his tough-guy act whenever Akihiko glanced his way.

Of course, not everyone understood. Yukari dedicated hours of her time to snarling almost-orders at Shinji, or trying to force his hand and pressurize him into verbalising his feelings through various convoluted schemes. In the main, her efforts were ignored, until she tugged Akihiko roughly aside one day, and told him that he deserved better, that it must hurt him to never know how "the resident thug" really felt, and that surely one of the many girls or boys at school who followed him with admiring gazes would be better for him?

"People break their words all the time, but if they do something then that's that. I don't need to hear it to know it, Takeba." An accompanying glare told her in no uncertain terms to back the hell off, and she released the boxer as though scalded.

For Akihiko, Shinjiro's words were unnecessary.

So when he spoke rather than reaching for him, it hurt more than the sight of the ragged holes in his trademark coat, more than the blood like acid on his fingertips, even more than the knowledge that this was it, this was really how their last relationship would break.

"This is how it should be."

For the first time, Akihiko doubted Shinji. Wondered if he meant it, if there was anything he could do, if he was ok with it, if it meant anything to have him by his side, if those words were really directed to him at all, if he was rising and walking away to distance himself from Akihiko or one of the others, if he resented him for bringing him back to S.E.E.S. for this, if…

If Shinji still loved him at the end.

Tears filled silver eyes, knuckles creaked and crackled, muscles froze up, breaths hitched. And his heart cracked and stuttered to a halt.

"This is how it should be."

Talk is cheap.

-- -- --

Thank you for reading! If you have time, please review and let me know what you thought...