It was the first dream in years.

Fragments of light and dark played behind his eyelids.

A huge black cloud, made up of wings, rapidly beating up and down.

Buzzing. Lots of buzzing.

Ringing endlessly in his ears.

Shion!

The dream shifted, providing a clear view of his savior, smiling down upon him. He struggled to lift his hand, which was as heavy as lead, choking back a cry of effort.

Nezumi…

Shion—

How could you? I have sinned! I have killed, with these hands… How could you, Nezumi?!

A start. That was when he realized, he did not feel the warmth of flesh that came from holding another's hand. It was bitingly cold. Shion's features warped to show immeasurable grief, and then dark, unforgiving rage. Finally, into hatred, red and hot. Holding that very same gun, the one he used back at the Correctional Facility when they were trying so desperately to save Safu. Aiming at Nezumi's heart, he shot.

The surroundings morphed, this time with Nezumi enclosed in four walls of grey. A memory from long, long ago. Oh, he remembered this. This cell in the Correctional Facility, the prison he had proved successful in breaking free of.

From outside, he heard bloodcurdling screams. That was normal. Hurried footsteps past the box he was in. That was normal too. The sound of gunshots, and the cries of death that followed soon after.

Now that was slightly unusual.

Maybe some other fellow had escaped, and was going on a rampage. He casually got to his feet, leaning against the wall which he knew was the opposite to the only exit out of his cell. With feigned disinterest, he examined his fingernails, shining in cold, artificial lights.

He has done this before, no problem. As soon as there was a chance, that single opportunity with a span of mere seconds, he wanted out. Every muscle in his body was coiled to their maximum, ready to propel him forward.

More gunshots. More screams. Some for help, some for mercy.

Must be one hell of a monster out there.

He grinned bitterly.

Footsteps stopped outside his cell, waiting on the other side. His ears picked up the rings of electric buttons being pushed, spelling out a password he did not know. The feeling of air rushing past him was pure bliss when the double layered metal doors slid wide open. He was already pinning the other down, reaching out to snatch the gun from those soft, bloodied hands.

His eyes widened. It was a doe-eyed, brown haired boy of twelve. His hands were soft and white, his body on the scrawny side.

It was Shion.

Before Shion had a chance to open his mouth, Nezumi screamed.

"What the fuck do you think you're doing?!" Nezumi shook him so violently by the shoulders, that it was as if he became a blur.

The sight of it was almost comical.

"What are you screaming for, Nezumi?" Shion raised his eyebrows, a slight grin playing on his face. "I was saving you."

"Don't…" Tears began to stream down Nezumi's cheeks.

Angry, hurtful tears.

"Huh?" Shion lifted a hand, confused.

"Don't fuck with me!" Nezumi clawed at the gun, desperately flinging it away from them. "This! All of this was supposed to be mine!" He clutched at Shion's blouse, thrusting the red-stained clothing into the other's face. "You should have never… How many?"

"Nezumi, I'm having a hard time trying to understand you." The boy gave an angry huff.

"I asked, how many?!" Nezumi bellowed, jabbing a finger in the direction in which he threw the gun.

It was then Shion's eyes began to water, and the small body trembled in great sadness.

"I'm sorry…" He whispered, voice heavy. "I'm a monster after all, huh?"

Shit.

"No, Shion!" He shook him again. "Listen to me, dammit! You cannot give in to the weight of your sins, no matter how grave they are!"

Neither can I.

Salty tears splattered across the floor. Nezumi did not know whether it belonged to him or Shion.

"Monsters should not be forgiven…" The gun was back in Shion's hands again. "Right, Nezumi?"

"You…! I'm the monster, do you get that?! I'm the fucking demon! Mephistopheles, the Devil—Shion!"

His hands clawed through the hand holding the gun that was now pointed to Shion's right temple. There was no way to reach out to that broken soul.

"I'm sorry." He repeated, meeting their lips in a final embrace.

And pulled the trigger.

"No…" Nezumi's eyes blinked open, his cheeks stained—proof of his guilt.

"I am."

He was back. Back in the world where Shion was living. Alive, healthy, happy. Happy…? Was he, really? Nezumi shuddered violently, grateful to have finally dragged himself out of the nightmare. He was too spent to continue along that train of thought. The mouse was beside him, squeaking softly into his ear. The black fur, quivering whiskers and red eyes gleamed kindly in the dying embers of the campfire he had set up.

"Tsukiyo… was it?" Nezumi rubbed the spot between the creature's ears with a finger.

Cheep, cheep!

The mouse had probably been thrown off in the midst of his thrashing. A sheen of sweat coated his forehead, making his bangs stick uncomfortably onto his skin. He wiped his face using the blanket that was tangled around his legs. Staring out to the horizon, his gaze fixed on the very edge of Lost Town, just visible in the dim glimmer of the stars. Within a minute, everything he owned was back in the duffel bag (Tsukiyo included, albeit with an angry squeak) and he took off at full speed towards civilization.

He burst through the door without reservation, right into the warm atmosphere of the house. Taking the two steps at a time on the stairs, he made his way to a room that was growing to be familiar. The one in the larger bed stirred whilst the smaller one slept on, oblivious to his presence.

"Nezumi?" Shion rubbed his eyes blearily, still not fully awake. "It's the first time you arrived before dawn. What—," He then caught sight of Nezumi's frenzied, almost panicked state, "…happened?"

His clothes were as per usual, his hair was tied up, not a strand out of place even though he had sprinted several miles. There were no dark circles beneath his eyes, and he still had the same fair skin. Yet there was something…

His eyes. Shion realized with a start. His eyes, usually so guarded, and steely, at times almost like a physical barrier to everyone else including Shion—

—and now, just for this magical time, Shion could see into them. Pain, suffering, regret, sorrow all the raw emotion he worked so carefully to hide under that blasé mask were suddenly visible, swirling in a silver whirlpool. No walls, no barriers. The sheer intensity of it took Shion's breath away. He was broken… vulnerable…

And absolutely beautiful.

A fallen angel, perhaps… A sudden, fleeting thought crossed Shion's mind.

He waited.

Nezumi approached him, inching closer with hesitant first steps. Trembling fingers ghosted across Shion's cheek and neck, occasionally brushing over the tips of his stray locks. Shion's own hand came to rest on Nezumi's, causing him flinch. He sat up as the hand locked with his. The dark-haired man slowly dropped onto one knee, bringing Shion's hand to his lips with a tenderness that was rarely seen. A lump formed in his throat as he tried to call Nezumi's name.

These hands… Nezumi opened his eyes, silver boring into Shion's crimson ones, were never meant to be stained.

"Nezumi," Shion folded his blanket back, "I'm not a princess, you know." He grinned.

Nezumi's head snapped to face him, catching Shion off guard. His expression was a mixture of surprise and awe that was almost child-like. He then graced Shion with a beautiful smile.

"Heh… No, you're not. You're definitely something though." Nezumi climbed onto the bed.

And into Shion's warm embrace.

Where was she? His feet flew across the ground, fast and frantic, but never clumsy. Where was she? Dammit! His heart was gripped with something between fear and worry. His imagination kindly considered various worst case scenarios, a habit from living in a world where you did not know if you would live until tomorrow. His stomach churned with each pictured scenario, none of which was making him feel any better.

All of a sudden, he jarred to a stop, ears pricked for that one wisp of sound, one that he had grown to enjoy. He held his breath, listening, listening. The wind blew, and the sound came again.

He took off in its direction, the path leading down a gentle slope and into a forest. He drew a trembling breath, stalking into the deep green foliage. A few meters in, the trees suddenly opened up to a glade, with unfiltered sunlight piercing right to the ground. The scent of fresh grass filled his nostrils, and his eyes swept across the pink and white flowers that dotted the area. There was small butterflies, of yellow, orange and blue, in clusters and pairs, fluttering about, oblivious to the situation.

Laughter, free-spirited and unreserved.

That of a child's.

There.

There she was.

Heavy relief flooded Nezumi. He flung out an arm to grip a tree for leverage—his knees suddenly deciding to cave in beneath with relief however, came anger. He glared at the small silhouette, who was running among the butterflies, with a fairy feet—she hardly made a sound or a mark on the lush green. The child was eight, with a tiny body, bones fragile and easily broken. He walked towards her, his eyes narrowed, more than effective in displaying his ire.

"Pa—,"

"Tsubaki." He snapped, not caring if the girl flinched.

The child stared back at him, mouth half-open. Her eyes reflected fear and confusion.

"Where have you been all this time?", he asked as he towered over her.

His voice was not raised, but there was no need to. The severity in it could have commanded anyone, not just a mere girl.

"U-um…" She trembled, scrambling to find the words. "I was exploring the area and I found this place."

"Did it not occur to you that you should have informed us? The world is not a safe place. It can be cruel." He paused. "Very cruel."

"But," Tsubaki began, a stubborn frown forming in the middle of her forehead, "it was so close-by. And—,"

Nezumi let anger rear its ugly head, "Did you know how worried Shion was?! We searched for you the entire morning! Karan even asked that old drunkard and Inukashi for help! It may have been close by, but anything could have happened!" He paused for breath, watching her press her lips together, in an effort to hold back her tears. "Murder. Abduction. Slavery. Prostitution. There are many possibilities in which you would've never seen us again."

There was a stunned silence. Nezumi turned his back on her, trying to quell his anger. What he didn't expect was for Tsubaki to stumble towards him, sobbing violently as she clutched at his pinky. He squatted down, and brushed her bangs away from her eyes, ire evaporating instantly. Her face was salty, snotty and sweaty.

"Geez, you're such a mess… And you cry just like your Mama." He grumbled, clicking his tongue. "Don't ever do that again." His tone betrayed whatever nonchalant expression he had put on, deep with emotion.

"I'm sorry…" Tsubaki forced the words out between hiccups, coughs and sobs, over and over again.

The hold on his pinky tightened as he moved to stand up. He debated with himself for two seconds before scooping the crying girl into his arms. We could've lost you, Tsubaki. Subconsciously, his hold on her tightened. The little chin that was resting on his shoulder was evidence that she was alive. Her scent reminded Nezumi of fresh air and sunshine. He noticed his throat was rather dry and patchy as his feet took him back to the bakery they knew so well. Well, it's not like we sat down and drank tea, he rolled his eyes. They had all shouted until their voices were hoarse. Him, Karan and Shion.

"Tsubaki!" Shion's voice rang through the forest, loud and pained.

"Mama!" She burbled from his shoulder, apparently not done with her crying.

As if on cue, Shion appeared from the trees in a flurry of leaves and twigs, a few of which had got caught in his hair. The perfect family drama, huh? Nezumi chuckled at both the thought and at the sight of the other. But it did not earn him the usual glare, as Shion was too distracted to respond. The white-haired young man caressed her head gently with the palm of his hand, frowning deeply.

"You silly child!" He scolded, lip quivering. "Come here, you."

Tsubaki was transferred over to Shion, where she rested in the crook of his arm, head snug against his chest. Shion's free hand reached out to grip Nezumi's arm. His fingers were shaking. Nezumi rested the back of his hand on his cheek, an act that he knew could calm Shion down. The other's eyes were wet and swimmy, as a result of holding back tears.

"We could have lost her," Shion voiced Nezumi's previous thoughts out loud, before sighing. "I wonder how did Mom cope?"

Nezumi wondered too.

"She's a strong woman." He agreed, ruffling the hair on Tsubaki's head. "And you're a funny sight." He began to remove the various tree parts entangled in the white hair, chuckling.

"I'm synonymous with the word 'funny' as far as you are concerned." He scoffed, lifting his chin.

"You summed up my feelings so eloquently. Bravo!"

"Shion! Nezumi! Tsubaki!" Inukashi stepped into the clearing, two dogs obediently at her heel. "Oh," All the breath whistled out of the young woman, "You found her."

"Inukashi! Inukashi!" Tsubaki reached a small, clumsy arm towards her.

"There, there." Inukashi's voice had a hoarse, affectionate warmth to it. "You had us all scared, you little rascal. A pup gets nipped and snarled at if you've done something wrong. As your godmother, I should have torn your little ear off by this time." She muttered, with a wrinkled nose and slightly bared teeth.

At the same time, she was trying and failing to suppress her grin.

Nezumi's nose wrinkled in distaste at the dog references, causing Shion to roll his eyes at him. Tsubaki began to giggle at the growly rumble that Inukashi had switched to, and she found herself in the woman's lean arms, the long brown hair acting as a curtain to block out the rest of the world. The dogs relaxed, choosing to lie down and pant on the cool grass. Karan and Rikiga came soon after, the former nearly in tears and the latter red-faced from exertion.

"Honestly, what were you two doing,? Shion? Nezumi?" Inukashi whirled around in total disbelief. "Weren't you guys keeping an eye on her?"

"She was just sitting on the counter when I turned to shelve the breads. Next thing I knew, she was gone." Shion shrugged sheepishly. "She's too fast. And stealthy. She certainly didn't learn that from me." He threw a pointed look to Nezumi.

"She was born like that. And they are good skills to learn, by the way." He retorted, then turned to Inukashi. "And you have an entire pack to watch over things. Let's see you run your business without your mutts. Oh wait, you can't." A snort. "Not half of it anyways."

"Nezumi, you rat!" She snarled at him, shaking a fist at him. "How do you deal with him?"

Shion blinked owlishly back at the raging woman, "Eh? Um… I don't know really. How do I usually deal with you?" He passed the question on to the culprit, holding his chin.

"I'm ignoring the lot of you. Wasting precious breath on this sort of conversations. Well, I'll be." Nezumi pocketed his hands and spoke with false wonder.

"Nezumi." Shion was reproachful.

Inukashi marched away, muttering to herself in short-lived irritation. They stood there in silence, mulling over what had happened.

"Sorry for dragging you into this." Shion apologized quietly. "You were supposed to leave this afternoon too."

Nezumi shrugged, "A 'Papa' has certain responsibilities to attend to, most of which I am quite aware of, young master."

He smirked at Shion's squawk of surprise, following the rest of the troupe back to Karan's bakery for a luscious tea which included freshly baked scones, whipped cream and strawberry jam. But it soon disappeared as word after word was fired at him, courtesy of Shion's tongue. Whatever he had in mind earlier had obviously backfired. He pondered over the possibility of Shion being deaf. For the umpteenth time, the question was repeated.

"Nezumi, just now, what did you—,"

The (poor) man rubbed the back of his neck exasperatedly, choosing to let out the sigh he had been holding in. Shion was staring fixatedly at him, as if he had sprouted another head for all to see.

"Nezumi, did you know, you're blushing—,"

And there goes the rest of his dignity. Just like that.

"Shut up." He ground out, with a glare that meant certain death.

Alas! It was ineffective.

"What?! The great Nezumi?! Blushing?!" Inukashi let out an extremely satisfied cackle. "That's absolutely hilarious! Hey, Shion! Teach me how to do that!"

"Eve!" Rikiga gave a bark of laughter himself. "Well, before I found out your true self, bashful was just the word for your enthralling yet demure presence on stage! But now…"

"My, Nezumi… So you have a bashful side too." Karan giggled in amusement, holding her face.

Even Tsubaki was laughing! That little rascal!

Bloody slow, naïve idiot. Stupid, stupid crybaby Shion.

"Ah, you're so annoyingly persistent!" He dashed past the group, hearing the dogs yelp with excitement, in hopes of joining the race.

Stupid, awkward, honest, kind, idealistic, warm, beautiful, oblivious, idiotic Shion.

"Whoa!" Inukashi balked, the top of her head colliding with Rikiga's chin.

This caused the other man's teeth to meet with a loud 'click'. Karan promptly covered Tsubaki's sharp ears, making sure she picked up none of their delightful French.

"Nezumi!" Shion ran after him, subsequently throwing his head back and laughing when the nostalgia hit him. "Wait!"

"Is it to your liking, Your Majesty?"

"Mm… The soup's still good." A nod of approval. "Your cooking hasn't deteriorated."

"No, no. Your words are too kind, Your Majesty. I am undeserving." Nezumi bowed with flourish, right hand holding a now-empty spoon.

As he raised his head, he came face to face with Shion, his face illuminated gently in the yellow glow of the candlelight. Crimson eyes reflected back the shock and slight fear written plainly across his features. He still had to get used to the way Shion could move, even if he was untrained. He gazed at Shion skeptically, trying to decipher his intentions. What surprised him was how the other's obvious happiness had vanished within seconds.

All of a sudden, he was incredibly… subdued.

"Do you really think so…?" Shion trailed off, in a voice that was almost curious, but was tinged with the slightest bit of sadness.

"Huh?" Nezumi knitted his brows, bewildered by the 180-degree flip in Shion's mood.

"You act as if it's that way." Shion bit his lip, seeming to struggle with his words. "It's not true. Everyone deserves happiness, Nezumi. Including you. Why do you always hold yourself back? Do you still not trust me?" His expression was wounded.

Realizing that Shion had hit the nail right on the head, he lashed out, unthinking, "Everyone? Ho~ Big words there, Shion. Are you also talking about the upper echelon of the past No. 6, by any chance? Yeah, damn straight. And you killed before. There's no telling when you might do it again. Do you think I can trust you completely, like that?"

The instant those spiteful words were uttered, so much regret overwhelmed Nezumi that he was forced to draw a ragged breath. The deed was done, and it could not be reversed no matter how much he wished it. He squeezed his eyes shut, not wanting to glance at Shion's face right now. He knew already how seeing Shion hurt, be it physical or emotional, dealt an equally (if not more severe), painful blow to him. This was the price… Nezumi clenched his fists, of opening my heart to someone, even if it was just a part of it.

The sound of a chair being pulled out, and a drawer being opened. Silverware clattering against each other, the sound of china against wood.

Is he really going to do it? Nezumi pondered, but at the same time, he did not really believe it.

"Nezumi, you're right."

Eh? Nezumi snapped out of his stupor, turning to face Shion, eyes wide and mouth agape. Shion grinned—he actually grinned for real—at him, seating himself at the dining table. What was he— Nezumi's mind flailed pathetically, trying to register Shion's unpredictable reactions.

"Who knows? I might just end up being like No. 6 after all. Like a monster." Shion lifted his shoulders and laughed.

Like it was some cheap circus trick. No, no, no! The voice boomed in Nezumi head, fierce and angry.

"When that time comes," He reached out for the pepper shaker, "I trust you to stop me, and if you must, kill me." The smile did not match the seriousness of his tone.

"Don't fuck with me!" Nezumi lunged at Shion from across the table, knocking the both of them (plus chair) onto the ground. "Shion, you resolved to always find a third path, didn't you?! You cared about a baby in the midst of chaos, didn't you?! You ran out to help people countless times, so stupidly without any means of self-defense, didn't you?!" He slammed a fist onto the ground, barely feeling the jar of pain that spiked across his arm like wildfire.

"Nezu—,"

"God, how much more idiotic can you get, Shion?! There, another difference between you and No. 6! You will never be like No. 6." Nezumi had straddled Shion by the waist, meeting Shion's forehead with his own none-too-gently.

"Ow!" Shion flinched lightly, whatever Nezumi had shouted to him before emphasized by it.

"I won't allow it."

A drop of wetness on his cheek. And Shion glanced back at Nezumi, surprised. There were twin rivulets running down from Nezumi's eyes and meeting at his perfect chin. He was grinding his teeth together in an effort to stop them.

"That day, at the Correctional Facility," Nezumi hated the tremor in his tone (why did it have to be there whenever he cried?), "it was my fault. I'm sorry." He choked out his apology, right hand fisting in Shion's wool shirt. "I had never meant for that to happen."

Shion brought Nezumi's head to rest on his chest slowly, gently.

"That's why, as long as I live, I will not allow you to turn into No. 6."

And the gesture was met without resistance.

"Nezumi…"

"Shut it. I know I'm crying."

Shion marveled at the fact the tips of Nezumi's ears had turned a bright, gorgeous red, "How did you know…?"

"You said so yourself." He said, though muffled by the wool. "That I know everything about you. What? Amnesia now, Shion? A tad bit early for that."

Shion chuckled, love flooding his heart, body and soul, "It's too bad Tsubaki isn't here to see her Papa cry."

"Neither is Karan, which for that matter I am thankful. She'll never let me live it down. You did not inherit her knack for teasing, that's for sure." Nezumi found himself smiling at the most unexpected of moments.

There was pause before he continued, "Did the words hurt?"

"From before?" Shion gazed up at the ceiling thoughtfully. "Not as much as I thought it would."

"I'm sorry." Nezumi turned solemn, fingertips stroking the side of Shion's face.

"But Nezumi… I still believe everyone deserve happiness. Yes, including those who created the monster. They're still humans after all. We're all the same."

"I hear you, Your Majesty."

Before Shion could open his mouth to say more however, Nezumi began shifting in order to pick himself up from the floor. Whilst doing so, his knee brushed lightly against something.

"Ah!"

Shion slapped a hand to his mouth, just as taken aback as Nezumi was. The other man had halted his movements mid-way, expression incredulous. This time is was Shion's turn to redden, the colour of his face now much akin to a fire hydrant. Nezumi raised his eyebrow at him, waiting.

"I'm sorry." Shion began, averting his eyes away from Nezumi. "That was unexpected. I had no idea I could make that sort of weird sound."

Nezumi was still situated between his legs, hands pressed against the floor on both sides of Shion's head. Shion began to wriggle out of the human trap when the sudden hand on his shoulder made him jump. Nezumi bent down until their noses grazed each other and their breaths mingled. Shion looked questioningly at Nezumi, remnants of embarrassment still present in his expression. Nezumi joined his right hand with Shion's, and scoffed gently at him.

"Don't laugh." Shion half-wailed, the familiar pout appearing.

"How long?" Nezumi traced patterns in the palm of Shion's left hand.

"Always." The answer was immediate and unwavering.

It was a soft confession, a murmur that was breathed out for his ears. The sound reflected off the walls of the kitchen and filled the dining area. Nezumi's breath caught in his throat as Shion lifted a hand to wipe away the rest of the tear-stains on his cheeks.

"I've always wanted you." Shion then proceeded to cup his cheek. "Everything that was you, I yearned for. But not to own." His voice dropped to a whisper, "Never to own."

There was still so much trust brimming in those eyes, even after all he had revealed, all that he had done. But it wasn't stifling, like he thought it would be. The clink of shackles seemed so far away, he briefly wondered if they were broken. Not just his, but Shion's as well. Is it possible, Nezumi helped Shion up, not letting go of his hand as he led them to the bedroom, for a bond to exist without shackles? If so, how…? Can you tell me, Shion? He caressed the top of Shion's head, fingers moving smoothly between strands of white, only pausing to touch his thumb to the red mark left behind beneath Shion's eye by the parasitic wasp.

"It will hurt." Nezumi's voice cracked, as if whatever he felt was too heavy for words to carry.

"I'll forgive you."

And Shion just smiled, pulling the other towards him for a soft, sweet kiss. They pulled away from each other for a quick breath before sealing their lips together again, teeth clicking against each other.

"Your kisses are getting better. Have you been practicing, by any chance?"

"Nezumi!"

Slowly, the young adults explored the contours of each other's bodies. Clothes peeled off like layers, revealing more to each other's sight, glazed with desire. They immersed themselves in each other's scents, all the while discovering areas which drew out soft moans and half-gasps. Sweat coated their bodies like a second skin as they moved. Names were sighed like secrets, over and over again. Nezumi took the lead, gently guiding Shion. In the warm glow of the candlelight, coupled with the tender meeting of lips, their bodies joined together. And through it all, Shion bit his lip, refusing to let himself cry.

…It was only the morning after when Shion shot out of bed, tearing himself away from within Nezumi's arms, much to the latter's disappointment.

"Nezumi, wake up! Mom and Tsubaki and coming back from Inukashi's today! You've got to put some clothes on!"

It was a bright and beautiful day. The sun was shining down, the rays warming the wood and cement of the house. The skies were a brilliant blue, spreading so far and wide, when one looked up, one could almost drown in it. There were a few clouds, drifting by, pushed on by the constant yet gentle breeze.

It was the perfect day.

"Shion."

The one who was called stared at Nezumi dubiously, blinking.

"I didn't think Your Majesty was one for teasing." A knowing grin slid onto his face, as he tapped his fingers on Shion's knees.

"Nezumi… when did you get so perverted?" Shion deadpanned, causing Nezumi to slap his forehead in dismay.

"Shion, you just effectively killed the mood there. God, are you that dense? Learn to read the atmosphere a little!" He groaned, shaking his head helplessly.

"Mom just went out to the shops with Tsubaki. They'll be back before you know it." Shion protested half-heartedly from his desk.

The other man narrowed his eyes in frustration, before coming up behind Shion to massage his shoulders. The hands moved to work out the knots that had gathered there, all the while secretly achieving their other purpose. His voice dipped low… Magnetic…

Seductive.

"Then lock the door," Nezumi purred into Shion's already flaming ear, "and make it quick."

"Nezu—!"

"If you're not sure how to go about it, just remember all our previous times." He chimed in before Shion could complete his sentence.

He pulled Shion out of his chair with an easy, fluid strength. This resulted in the other clumsily tripping over his feet and falling on top of Nezumi. They both landed on the bed, breathing beginning to quicken.

"…Are you sure? You don't have to feel obligated or anything, you know. I'm really alright with being bottom whenever we do it."

"Must you be such an airhead?" Nezumi growled, and shook him by the arms. "I'm giving myself to you. Even if it's just for a while, do you know how hard it is for me to do so? And here you are, wasting time to ask me whether I'm sure. Would I even have done this if I wasn't? You could at least accept me with more grace. Geez, I guess you can't really expect much out of a Shi—mmph!"

His lips were swiftly covered by another pair, and he opened them to allow entrance. His clothes were discarded from him just as quickly. It was as if Shion had been stung into action. He paused for a bit though, his eyes roaming the beautiful body laid before him, the smooth skin just a shade lighter than his own.

"Like what you see?" Nezumi said teasingly, licking his lips.

Shion gave him what he expected—irises that had darkened with lust. But in that moment, they also brimmed with glistening tears, one of which fell onto his chest, causing him to flinch.

"Shion, what…?" He sat up, worried.

"Thank you."

Nezumi sighed, letting himself fall back onto the bed again, "Geez," He rolled his eyes, "who cries when they haven't done anything yet? Crybaby. And stop looking at me like that. Never fails to give me willies."

"But it's something huge for me." Shion's hand reached down to stroke, causing a hiss of pleasure to erupt from Nezumi. "You always hold yourself back, never fully letting go. You once told me you didn't trust me completely. To think that now, you're actually opening yourself up to me… it means a lot, you know?"

"Is that so?" Nezumi replied, only somewhat sarcastic.

He felt Shion's fingers remove the elastic that usually kept his hair in place. The strands were spread out like a fan around his head, with stray locks rubbing irritatingly into his eyes. Shion pushed them away.

"You've always depended on yourself, since the first time I met you. Even though at that time, you looked so fragile that all I wanted to do… was to protect you." Shion kissed his forehead, then the tip of his nose.

"Wrong there, Your Majesty. I had to depend on your kindness for that one night. Otherwise, I wouldn't be here." Nezumi flashed him a sly, almost feline-like grin.

"I suppose." He smiled back, proceeding to lift Nezumi's legs.

"You continue to surprise me, Shion. Since when were you so talkative during sex?" Nezumi spoke in-between pants. "Ha… You're destroying whatever mood we have left."

"I think it has something to do with positioning though. Normally, it's easier to speak when one is topping instead of bottoming." Shion's face was contemplative when he said it, as if he was talking about the weather. "And about the mood… I'll just have to build it again, don't I?" Shion's voice dropped an octave lower, vibrating at his neck.

Nezumi shivered involuntarily.

"My, my… you've gained quite an attitude, young man."

Preparation was not as clumsy and awkward as it should have been. Shion had found the sweet spot within minutes whilst keeping his other hand occupied with the rest of the other man's body. What else is he capable of, I wonder? A voice laughed in Nezumi's head, no longer afraid of finding out for some strange reason. Nezumi accepted Shion readily, biting down on the other's shoulder to fight the pain that ripped through him and threatened to spill from his throat. He briefly noticed that Shion had grown to be just a few centimeters shorter than him. Though even throughout the years, as both their bodies filled out, Shion never lost the child-like, innocent quality of his face.

"You're so beautiful, Nezumi. The most beautiful person I've ever seen."

There was once a time where he would have never thought to be rocked in someone else's arms.

"Ngh… What's with these cheesy lines, Shion? Can't come up with anything better?"

"It's the truth, Nezumi. It's what I really feel. Unless you want me to recite something from 'Hamlet'? But then, it's not really a romance story, is it?"

"…Your perpetual lack of tact, as well as charm, still continues to amaze me."

The pace grew more erratic as the end approached without delay. Nezumi hooked his arms around Shion's neck and kissed him deep. Moving his lips against Shion's, he mouthed a word.

A name.

Shion gazed at him lovingly before bending down to murmur the name into his ear like a prayer, at the final moment before they fell into a world of white. It would ring beautifully and nostalgically in his mind for the many years to come.

"Shion."

Eyes moved back and forth, reading 200 words a minute.

"Oi, Shion."

A page flipped, the rustling sound crisp and clear against the rain hitting the windowpane from outside.

The wind outside howled, and with its wail came the crack of thunder, accompanied by the occasional flash of lightning. Tsubaki was laughing heartily downstairs, the child of ten had impressed her Papa with her lack of fear towards the approaching typhoon this morning. Karan voice floated in and out of the laughter, probably recounting some embarrassing moments of Shion's childhood. It might have been a good thing that Shion was oblivious to the sounds below, but that didn't excuse the fact he had completely ignored the one who had called him.

Twice, at that.

Nezumi glared at Steinbeck's 'The Pearl', crossing his arms with a dissatisfied huff. Then, a mischievous grin appeared on his face. He jumped onto the bed, catching Shion's legs between his own and pulling the book away.

"Nezumi, what are you—!" Shion's sharp cry of irritation was promptly cut off.

Nezumi swallowed the last syllable, and took his time to coax Shion further into the kiss. Shion relaxed, his eyes drifting half-closed as he draped his arms over Nezumi's back. The book ended up on the bedside table, forgotten. Nezumi rested a hand on the nape of Shion's neck, stroking it in long, suggestive movements. He could feel goosebumps rising under his touch. He parted from Shion, the grin still etched on his features as he surveyed his work.

Shion was panting slightly, a faint red hue decorating his cheeks. His hair and clothes were ruffled, and his eyes glazed over.

"Nezumi…" He swallowed and cleared his throat, "Why did you stop?"

"Ho~ Well, aren't you a lewd one?" He snickered, the back of his hand shielding part of his mouth. "Because I wanted to."

"Geez, you—,"

Whatever Shion was going to say next had disappeared from his tongue. He caught sight of light being reflected off the hand Nezumi had lifted. Upon closer inspection, he saw that it was a simple band of white gold, adorning the ring finger of the left hand.

A ring.

All the breath was suddenly knocked out of Shion, as if someone had delivered an intense blow to his stomach. He didn't know what to think of the ring, other than the fact that it signified marriage. His mother used to wear her ring, but she kept it in her jewelry box after she had thrown his father out of the house. He tried to imagine who had—Shion shuddered unintentionally, he couldn't even go there. Nezumi watched him, expression blank, eyes unblinking.

Shion lowered his head to stare at his hands (which were now clenched to fists) on his lap. It was then he noticed another thing. There was something cold pressing against the flesh on his left ring finger. There was a simple band of white gold, sitting neatly at the base of the ring finger on his left hand.

A ring.

Identical.

Shion looked at it in part disbelief, part wonder.

"Our third option." Nezumi answered the question that was not asked, drawing Shion's attention to him. "I'm a wanderer, Shion. Always have been and forever will be. However, I'll be a wanderer with a home. I'll definitely come back to you." He sat down cross-legged on the mattress, opposite Shion. "Every single time, from this day onwards. I promise you."

"You idiot!" Shion exclaimed fiercely, sending a jolt through Nezumi.

"Wha? Shion?"

"You scared the life out of me." Shion let out a breath he hadn't realized he had been holding. "Seeing the ring like that. I thought you had married someone."

"And who, pray tell, was the lucky candidate?" Nezumi rolled his eyes at the oblivious man.

"I didn't think about that. The fact that you were married was just so bizarre that I—,"

"Pardon me? Now, look here. Why is it so hard to believe that I would be—,"

"Because you don't belong to anyone!" Shion argued heatedly.

Nezumi was looking at him with his mouth open, dumbfounded.

"Why of all the people, an airhead?" He muttered, massaging his temples. "Shion, since when did you get to decide who belongs to whom?"

"But—,"

"Think, Shion. When did I ever say anything of that sort? Please enlighten me."

Said person fell silent, obviously at a loss of words.

"And this is what happens when you assume." Nezumi said as a matter-of-factly, leaning back.

Shion lifted his hand, observing the angles in which the ring glinted back shyly at him. He then took Nezumi's left hand, marveling at the craftsmanship and comparing the rings.

"They're the same…" He whispered.

"No, they're completely different. Geez, Shion. Has your genius dwindled over the past decade?" Nezumi tapped his knuckles lightly against Shion's forehead.

"I love you." Shion faced him, the smile Nezumi had been waiting for was finally visible.

It was surprisingly, the first time Shion had said that to him. All the while, his actions had been pretty obvious… However, hearing the words come straight out from the other's mouth was something else entirely.

Nezumi swallowed, throat all of a sudden achingly dry.

"You told me before, that I didn't understand my own feelings. That I was in awe of you and everything surrounding you." Shion placed Nezumi's palm over his own beating heart. "You were wrong." He met Nezumi's gaze, joy shimmering in his orbs. "I will never become your enemy. I'm drawn to you. I want to protect you. I trust you. I love you."

Once there was a saying, Nezumi pulled Shion into his arms, rubbing circles on the other's back, What was it again…? Ah… it was 'opposites attract'. Heh. Who knew? It was then, that Nezumi began to tremble.

"Yeah." His voice was quavering as he replied. "I love you too." Nezumi buried his face into the crook of Shion's neck, inhaling deeply. "I love you too, you soft-hearted moron."

"Haha!" Shion's unexpected bout of laughter jerked Nezumi's eyes open again. "I can't believe it took ten years!"

"Well, excuse me." Nezumi sulked, resting his cheek on Shion's shoulder. "I had some emotional baggage to sort out before this. And getting rings forged takes money and time. After that, I waited for a typhoon just so I could present it. Demanding little prince, aren't you? Actually, I'm disappointed. You didn't cry like a baby this time."

"You did though." Shion was still laughing at him. "Just a little. But not like a baby…"

"Shut up."

"My promise to you then—I swear to prevent No. 6 from becoming the city it was once before. Otherwise, I would've followed you, on that day itself, to wherever you were going to go to."

"That," Nezumi scoffed lightly, "hardly needed to be said." He stood up, offering a hand to Shion, "Come, let's dance to celebrate. I hope you still remember the waltz?"

"How could I forget? But my body might have. I'm going to end up tripping over your feet again." Shion chewed his lip worriedly as they began.

One-two-three, one-two-three, one-two-three. Round and round the room they went, with Nezumi practically gliding across the floor, followed by Shion's initial stumbles. The typhoon outside roared, showing no signs of stopping. With another flash of lightning, the electricity in the house went out, enshrouding them in darkness. Still, they danced on.

"Why don't you call me by that name? You've always wanted to know but you've only said it that one time." Nezumi asked, curious.

"Nezumi is fine."

"Huh?"

"Nezumi is just fine." Shion nodded vehemently to emphasize his point. "I love your real name though."

"What the hell is up with that? You love it, but you don't use it."

"You want me to call you by that name?"

"I only asked, Shion. No implications. Use whichever name you want."

Three steps, and a twirl.

"You know, it feels good that I taught you a few things too." Shion grinned at him, too pleased for Nezumi's liking.

Nezumi put a foot out, effectively tripping Shion as they were passing by the bed again. The white-haired man fell onto the bed, taking the other with him in a mess of limbs.

"The hell does that mean?" Nezumi scowled, untangling himself from Shion.

"The third option?" Shion practically sang, tilting his head to one side.

"Hmph." Nezumi linked his left hand with Shion's. "Don't think too highly of youself."