After the fall of No.6 Shion had returned home, back with his mother and back to his old room. Nezumi wasn't there on that first night, and he'd had a restless sleep. Filled with memories of his rat. Of their dances across their small home. Of their meal times and the relentless teasing that dominated the majority of the conversation. Of their nights in bed, backs to the other and bodies rigid for fear of touching. Though that only happened at first.
He would remember the first morning he woke up with Nezumi's arm wrapped around his waist, his back pressed against the toned stomach of the actor. He would remember how hot his face had been that day and how he'd stayed in bed all morning fearing he'd caught a fever.
He would remember his first real kiss. His whole life he had assumed it would be Safu taking his first kiss. But no, it was a man he met one stormy night. A kiss that changed his very definition of the word.
His dream had ended that night the same way it had ended for weeks following. Nezumi's back slowly fading into the horizon, his lips still tingling from their final kiss.
A month passed before he saw the mischievous rat again. One of his messenger mice sneaking into his room and scaring him more than he liked to admit. His heart beating far too fast for that to be the only reason though.
The brown mouse had been insisting, tugging on his trouser leg until Shion had followed him, running out the bakery door without a word to his mother. He had been led through the streets until he reached the West Block, the trip short thanks to the removal of the wall. He had travelled to his old home and pushed through the door.
But before nostalgia had a chance to hit familiar lips had sealed themselves across his, pushing through his pliant ones, and exploring a mouth it had only briefly been able to familiarise itself with before.
No words had been spoken as he was led to their old bed, laid back and stripped bare. No words were passed between them as lips set about exploring his body. And the only sounds that filled the small home were gasps that the albino had trouble holding back.
That day had felt never ending, he cried in both pain and pleasure under his rat, and he lost something he realised he'd kept for him. Tears had escaped him as they lied together afterwards, and as they were wiped away by a slightly calloused thumb he smiled for the first time in that painful month.
Nezumi had returned home with him later that day, Karen wrapping him in a warm embrace and thanking him repeatedly for taking care of her baby while he was in the West Block. If she noticed the pained expression on Shion's face she didn't mention it.
That night he had squeaked in pure embarrassment at discovering the sleeping arrangements. Walking in after his shower, clad in only a towel, to see Nezumi in his bed, covers only covering his waist and proudly sporting Shion's claw marks. He had stuttered and blushed to such an extent that Nezumi had almost considered sleeping on the floor. But with gentle words, almost as though teasing a deer out into the open, he had managed to lure the albino into his bed.
That night had been very different to the afternoon. Hands hadn't wandered freely but had held Shion close. Letting him decide how intimate he wanted the night to be. And Nezumi had settled with holding his airhead. If not a little disgruntled at him wearing thick long sleeved pyjamas.
Their reunion had taken place three months prior to the current night. And Nezumi was pleased that the pyjamas had been abandoned. His lover wearing nothing most nights, but on those rare occasions donning one of his shirts.
On this particular night though, all clothes were cast aside. Shion deep in sleep after their escapades, his snake shining in the moonlight streaming through the open window. He was laid on his stomach, arms tucked under his head and eyes closed facing the watching rat.
Nezumi lay on his side, finger tracing the coiled serpent on his lover's back, smiling in amusement as his eyes twitched ever so slightly when he ghosted over his sides. The rat didn't want to close his eyes despite the heavy weight settling on them. He wanted to watch Shion forever, wanted to know with absolute certainty that he wouldn't vanish into thin air.
But he knew he couldn't stay awake forever, the best he could hope for was to fall asleep while tracing the scar that laced his body like a ribbon. To feel the warm flesh under his fingertips, and to thank his mice for coercing him into reaching out to Shion all those months ago. And to selfishly believe that Shion would stay by his side forever. Even if he'd failed to do the same at first.
This is my second attempt at a No.6 fanfiction and I'd love to know how you think it was. Please read and review.