NezuXShion
As he gently lifted by chin and pressed his lips on mine, I felt a hot feeling in my chest, and my cheeks warmed. As I stared into his warm gray eyes, I thought "There is no one in this world more precious to me than him…" after we broke apart, he wrapped his arm around me, a soft embrace, and then he whispered in my ear "suki dayo". I squeezed my eyes closed in embarrassment and leaned closer into the embrace. There was a soft heart beat, but I couldn't tell whether it was mine, or his, perhaps it was both our hearts beating in harmony together in an endless rhythm.
After the destruction of the wall between No. 6 and the west district, Nezumi and I began living on the outskirts of the newly formed city, the city of Safuna. Though my mother was overjoyed to see me and wanted me to go back to living with her, I rejected her offer because I could not bear to leave Nezumi again. It was only after the destruction of the wall, that I realized my true feelings for Nezumi, but I think that he was way ahead of me from the beginning, even though he won't admit it. Nezumi and I still visit my mother's bakery occasionally to buy some cherry pie, and we still keep in touch, so it wasn't a big deal. Inukashi owns a small animal farm near our place and Nezumi has once again become quite the famous actor (and sometimes actress), while I study in the medical department and create medicines and serums for diseases and viruses. The new city is pretty much living in harmony, and new officials have been elected through a democracy. Farm lands have been built so that we have resources and our economy is fairly balanced.
"Hey, Shion!" Nezumi called to me, "Whatcha day dreaming about?"
"Oh, nothing!" I replied "I'm just excited to see your next play! You are truly one amazing actor!"
"Why, thank you very much!" He said in a deep dramatic voice, while bowing.
Then he chuckled, and sat next to me on the couch, and gently grabbed my hand, kissing it softly.
I looked away blush, and he burst out into laughter. "Hey! It's not THAT embarrassing! It's just me!"
"Idiot!" I muttered quietly while still looking away "It's cause it's you, that it's embarrassing…"
"Would it be less embarrassing if it were Safu?" he said in a light teasing voice, but in his eye I saw a gleam of wariness.
"Not funny Nezu!" I pouted, I felt my eyes water a bit "That's not very nice!"
"Hey, I'm sorry! I didn't mean it like that, I was being stupid." Nezumi frowned, he sounded regretful.
"It's ok, I forgive you… How could I not?" I replied, trying to keep my voice even and soft.
I sighed and put my head on his shoulder, and then hugged his arm. He stared at me, and I stared at him, gray meeting red. I closed my eyes restfully and fell asleep on the spot.
When I awoke I was lying in my bed tucked tightly in the covers. "Nezumi?" I called, but there was no reply. I assumed that he had left to go rehearse.
I looked at the clock "Seven thirty? Geez it's late, I had better make some dinner before Nezumi comes home." I murmured to myself. I walked into the kitchen and looked in the refrigerator, absolutely nothing… except for one jar of tomato sauce. Then I looked in the cupboard, and took out a pack of noodles. "I guess we're going to have pasta tonight" I thought to myself "I had better go shopping for food first thing in the morning before I head to the hospital lab."
I heard the door open, and Nezumi stumbled in. "Please tell me that wonderful smell is out dinner!" he called out to me.
"Yup, and it's almost done!" I called back "Good timing!"
I put the pasta into two separate platters and put them on the table, and I sat down in front of one of the plates. Nezumi slumped into the other chair. "So how was rehearsal?" I asked, even though I could see the answer coming before Nezumi even started talking.
"Holy crap, half the people on the cast hardly know have to act, and the woman playing the heroine is afraid of being on a stage! How the heck is this going to work out? It's going to end up a 2 man show with me, and ME!" I could hear the annoyance in his voice as he continued, "And the director! He just sits there eating and slurping whatever crap he is ingesting while letting us work out the whole thing! I've seriously become the director as well as both the hero and the heroine and many other characters as well! What kind of show business is this?"
I continued to eat my pasta, while only half heartedly listened to Nezumi's complaints. Trust me, it could go on for hours if I didn't find a way to distract him…
Suddenly Nezumi looked up with a look in his eye, a look that I did not like. It was the look that he got when he got; I quote "a good idea". I looked away quickly and said in a dull voice, "What now…."
"Aw don't be that way" he said while smiling, "I just got a good idea!"
"Of course…" I replied
"It's simple! You'll just be the heroine in the play!" he blurted quickly
"What! You want me to play the HERORINE?" I was shocked, even though I was mentally prepared for his "idea", "Me! I can't act!"
"Easy, I'll teach you! You could be as famous as me!" he said all this with a very happy look, a look so happy that I couldn't turn it down… dang him…
"Fine, fine, I'll at least try" I mumbled quietly half hoping that he wouldn't hear me.
"Great! Rehearsal is at 7:00 am tomorrow! I'll get you up!" His eyes shined with joy, then quoted: "Good Night, Good night! Parting is such sweet sorrow, that I shall say good night till it is morrow."
And all I could think as I headed to my room was, "I hope I don't die tonight, just from dreading tomorrow."
"Hey Shion, time to get up." A soft voice echoed in my ear, it was Nezumi.
"Huh…" I mumbled sleepily, "What time is it?"
"Its 6:30 am, remember I said that I'd wake you up!" he replied with a playful tone in his voice.
"Wow, you take your words seriously!" I replied, a bit more awake, "But, you do realize that I wasn't serious last night right? I have work today, so I couldn't come anyways."
"Ha, as if I haven't thought of that!" Nezumi stated boldly, "I already contacted the hospital, and arranged you to have a month's leave!"
"What?" I jumped out of bed in a hurry, "What did you say?"
"You heard me the first time…" Nezumi sighed
"Wait! But how… and what… and when…?" I stammered, not knowing where to start.
"Huh… Easy! I just called the hospital lab, and explained the situation to them, and they were kind enough to give you such a long time off." Nezumi replied calmly unlike my previous interjection. "Now let's get ready to go, I've already made toast for breakfast so hurry up!"
I clambered out of bed and got dressed, in a pair of jeans and button down shirt with a sweater over it. Then I headed into the kitchen and picked up a piece of toast that was sitting on a plate. I buttered it and put jam on it and began to eat. As usual, Nezumi was eating his toast plain, with nothing on it. Hamlet was sitting on his shoulder nibbling on a small chuck of bread, which Nezumi had torn off his own toast. We ate in silence, and then we left the house heading towards downtown Safuna. As we walked, we continued to remain quiet, holding hands while we both walked together, my step with his, and his with mine.
When we arrived we were greeted by a loud "NEZUMI YOU &*%$#$! YOU'RE LATE! GET YOUR BUTT OVER HERE!" I looked forewords, and to my surprise, Inukashi was glaring at Nezumi as she sat in a chair near the front of the stage with one of her dogs.
"Hello, Inukashi." Nezumi returned the greeting "Why are YOU here?
"Quite simple really, the Company's boss was ticked about how the previous director was running the show, so he fired him and hired me! So, now I am your director" Inukashi looked satisfied "And I am also to be a part of this play, I will be playing the maid."
"Great…" Nezumi muttered as he slapped his hand to his face. "Wait! Do you even know h..?"
"Oh, Shion! Why are you here?" Inukashi interrupted, she sounded surprised, as if she had just noticed my presence.
"Um, well you see…." I didn't know how to go on.
"Quite simple really!" Nezumi stated in a mocking voice, "I brought Shion here, to replace the heroine!"
Inukashi's jaw fell open for a moment before she burst into laughter. I looked away blushing.
"What?" I asked questioningly, "Why are you laughing?"
"Shion… Haha… Juliet… Haha.. This is going to be great!" Inukashi managed to get a few words out as she laughed. But those few words were enough for me to interpret what I needed to know.
I turned my head and glared at Nezumi, I knew he could see it coming. It appeared that this was the part in the plan that he dreaded the most, telling me who and what I was to be acting.
"I am to be playing Juliet…" I said coldly "and this play is Romeo and Juliet, if I'm correct? WHY THE HELL DIDN'T YOU TELL ME THIS EARLIER? I WOULD HAVE SAID NO!"
"Well, dear, that's exactly why I delayed telling you." Nezumi said, completely serious, then in a lighter (but extremely evil and devious) tone "Now there's no escape for you!"
I cursed in my head, because all I could think was "Then I defy you, stars!"
After several days, the cast was set, Nezumi as Romeo, Shion (Me) as Juliet, Inukashi as the maid, and several other characters like Madam, Capulet, and Rikiga was recruited to play the Friar. Several other actors were hired to play the parts of Tybalt, Mercutio….. and all the insignificant parts. But what was really focused on, was me and Nezumi. It turns out, that Inukashi was just joking about being the director of the play, and so a very relieved Nezumi took the job, and yells at everyone (except me) to "do this, or do that". I, of course already know the play by heart, but the real issue for me was acting out the emotions. I didn't even want to do this dumb play to beguine with, and it's extremely distracting when Nezumi is boldly quoting: "Tis torture, and not mercy. Heaven is here where Juliet lives, and every cat and dog and little mouse, every unworthy thing, Live here in heaven and may look on her, But Romeo may not."
And it's even worse, because every time Nezumi say one of these quotes, I turn bright red, Inukashi starts cracking up, and then Nezumi gets mad, and then the two of them start an argument that usually lasts about one hour.
There was one particularly bad argument where Inukashi in her laughter accidentally said something about me (that I didn't hear) and Nezumi got furious, and the two went on and on throwing around cold and cruel world till I put a stop to it, (no way am a saying how).
And after many days of quarrels, fights, and what little practice we actually did, we finally finished the production with little time to spare.
After our dress rehersal was finished as we were changing out of our costumes, Nezumi came up and hugged me from behind whispered "Well done, my rose!" then kissed me on my scarred cheek, this time Inukashi wasn't around to mock me, and so I felt better about it and I turned around in his embrace and encouraged the kiss. We were stayed for a moment in utter bliss, but broke apart as Inukashi (again!) burst into the room and said "I suspected as much ya love birds!" in a loud voice. I could feel the growl in Nezumi's throat and so I grabbed his hand and pulled him out the door. We walked home with the sunset in front of us, the light radiating into our faces, and as I looked at Nezumi I blushed, the red sunlight masked my red face, but I think that he knew anyways, he always did. Nezumi was just so beautiful, graceful as a bird with light skin that gleamed in the light. His hand tightened around mine as we continued to walk and I was happy. Hand in hand, Nezumi, me, and the beautiful sky was all that existed for the moment, I wish I could paint a picture of the moment so that I could remember the feeling forever.
Nezumi woke me up the next morning with a silly grin that made me want to slap him. I groaned since I realized that today was the day of the performance.
He read me like a book and reassured me with kind words and a gentle hug "You'll do fine, love. See! You didn't even blush as much that time!" His presence alone was comforting and I felt better.
I decided not to eat much for breakfast just in case I hurled on stage due to nervousness, But Nezumi on the other hand had a handsome amount of an omelet and sausages. "I guess being in show business for so long cools ones nerves" I said to Nezumi and he replied confidently saying "Nah, I'm just amazing so there is no use in being nervous!" and I glowered at him.
"I'm just kidding! I'm nervous too, I'm just not showing it!" he announced quickly.
I sighed and filled a glass of water taking a large gulp, the cool water felt nice on my dry throat.
When Nezumi finished his breakfast, we prepared our things and headed out to the theater.
Two households, both alike in dignity (In fair Verona, where we lay our scene),
From ancient grudge break to new mutiny,
Where civil blood makes civil hands unclean.
From forth the fatal loins of these two foes
A pair of star-crossed lovers take their life;
Whose misadventured piteous overthrows
Doth with their death bury their parents' strife.
The fearful passage of their death-marked love
And the continuance of their parents' rage.
Which, but their children's end, naught could remove,
Is now the two hours' traffic of our stage;
The which, if you patient ears attend,
What here shall miss, our toil shall strive to mend.
(Romeo and Juliet, The Prologue)
As I stood on the balcony (strapped in with many safety clips and ropes), the bright stage lights beating on my face, I called out.