"Nezumi?" Shion asked, turning to the half-asleep form next to him on the bed. He heard a faint grunt of response. Turning back to the book he was reading, the white-haired boy asked, "Can you explain this part?"

With a sigh, Nezumi straightened, lifting his head to peer at the page through his dark bangs. "Ah," he sighed again, "The renowned balcony scene. What's confusing you about it?"

Shion narrowed his eyes at the words. "So…Juliet doesn't know he's there, right?"

"Right," Nezumi responded, pointing to a line, "See how he's saying here, 'Should I speak at this?' He's debating whether he'll show himself or hear what she has to say."

"But what does she mean by this, if she doesn't know he's there?" Shion pointed to the most well-known line of the play. Nezumi let a smile slip through his defenses.

"'Wherefore art thou Romeo!'" Nezumi cried out dramatically, reaching a hand out to Shion. "She's not literally asking where he is. It actually means 'Why are you Romeo?' She's asking why her only love is from the only family she can't love anyone from." Shion nodded hesitantly, and Nezumi continued. "Remember how Romeo said their families' rivalry had less to do with hate, more with love? They love their own families so much that it turns into hatred for the other."

"Oh," Shion's gaze was intense as Nezumi explained. "I think I get it now. So, in her mind, she can't be allowed to love a Montague because of the rivalry?"

"Mm hm," Nezumi turned to lay his head back down.

"But there's one thing I noticed was strange between them," Shion continued, watching as Nezumi's head lifted slightly.

"Oh?"

"Well, didn't Capulet and Montague—the heads of the two houses, I mean—didn't they say something earlier about not having any trouble keeping the peace?"

"Yeah? And?" Nezumi seemed to have a challenging tone to his voice.

"Well, the first ones to disturb the peace in the town were younger, right? And Romeo and Juliet—they're pretty young too, right? I feel like they seem to be overreacting about all of it. That's the only way their immaturity is really shown. Capulet and Montague themselves don't seem too worried about the rivalry."

"So you noticed that, huh?" Nezumi let a hint of pride creep into his voice. "That's true; but they overreact about a lot of things, not just the families' rivalry. For example, any time they encounter any sort of obstacle in their life, they immediately turn to suicide."

Shion turned to look at Nezumi, his red gaze serious. "I think we're a lot like them, Nezumi."

Nezumi was taken aback. "Wh—huh? How?"

"Well," Shion looked up as he was thinking, and Nezumi repositioned himself so he could give the younger boy a proper glare when their eyes met again. "In our case, No. 6 and the West Block would be like Capulet and Montague." Nezumi narrowed his eyes, wondering where the white-haired boy was going with this.

Shion continued, "Always in conflict, I guess. And, according to you," Shion glanced over, watching the candlelight reflect off Nezumi's eyes, "complete enemies."

Nezumi snorted, "Don't think you'll ever make me take that back. No. 6 will eventually be destroyed—whether at my hand or something else's."

"Ok, ok," Shion waved him off, getting back on track. "Anyway, you saved me, right? Like…I guess Juliet saved Romeo from his grief…"

"What, are you saying I'm Juliet?" Nezumi turned over onto his back, putting his hands behind his head and watching the candlelight move across the ceiling.

"Are you complaining?" Shion brushed him off again. "Anyway, she got him to realize that there were things more important than the upholding of their families' rivalry…just like being with you has made me realize new things, too. Like how No. 6 isn't what I always thought it was, and how much more to the world there really was."

"More to the world?" Nezumi laughed harshly. "Like what? Starvation? Prostitution? Betrayal and murder?"

"Good things, too," Shion protested, "Like emotions. I don't remember ever being this happy in another person's company. Things like affection—love."

Nezumi glanced over to see the completely serious look in Shion's eyes. Their red color glimmered beautifully in the uncertain light of the candles, and suddenly Nezumi found himself unable to look away.

He forced a cynical snort. "You don't know what love is. You have no right saying those things."

"Hm," Shion laid his head down, keeping his gaze fixed on Nezumi. "Then what am I feeling right now?"

Nezumi rolled his eyes. "I don't know. Content, maybe? Relief at having lived through another day? Comfort at having a roof over your head? What else is there to feel?"

"I feel more comfort in having someone else with me than the roof over my head," Shion mused quietly, and Nezumi turned to the side, feeling the heat rising to his cheeks. He's so damn naïve, Nezumi raged in his head. What the hell does he think when he says these things?

"Hey, Nezumi?" Shion asked, "What does love feel like?"

Nezumi glared at the wall so that he wouldn't have to look at Shion, hoping his blush wasn't showing. Love is unnecessary, he could feel the words being shaped in his head, you don't need it, so don't worry about it. He was prepared to say those words, so carefully crafted, but when he opened his mouth, something completely different came out.

"Love is horrible," Nezumi didn't even realize he was speaking until he heard his own words, and then he was shocked by them. Am I still talking? "It's like a horrible drug. It incapacitates you and gives you something to live for and something to protect. It never lets you be free, and it's always a weakness just waiting to be exploited by anyone or anything." Eventually he gained control of his voice and closed his mouth, turning quickly to see how Shion interpreted the random flow of words that had just escaped him. What the hell did I just say?

Shion was watching Nezumi closely. "Well, that's what love is, isn't it?" Nezumi glanced up, hesitantly meeting the boy's red eyes. Shion smiled. "My question is what it feels like."

Nezumi rolled onto his side, reaching out to touch Shion's cheek. "You're so naïve," Nezumi whispered. "Love…feels painful. Like your heart's being constricted. But it also feels…kind of ok. Like there's a light at the end of the tunnel. Like everything you've lived for was meant for something, and when that something comes…"

Shion held Nezumi's hand to his face. "I…I think I've been living for you, Nezumi."

Nezumi felt his heart shatter. Does he even know what he's saying? His heart was pounding frantically in his chest, feeling like it was about to explode any moment. "Shion…" his voice came out a whisper.

Shion smiled, and that smile was the last thing Nezumi could handle. He wasn't sure which one of them leaned in first, but it didn't matter as soon as their lips touched. Nezumi flinched slightly when he felt Shion's hand against the side of his head, but he relaxed against the touch.

Shion pulled away first and Nezumi felt a strange crushing disappointment in his chest—because it was over too quickly, because he's never kissed anyone like he meant it, because it was painful for some reason and he liked that pain, because he was Juliet and, fuck it, he needed his Romeo.

"Nezumi," Shion said softly, and Nezumi looked up to see a blush creeping across his cheeks. "I—I think I know what love is now."

Nezumi stared at him uncomprehendingly for a few seconds, then whispered, "I think I do, too."

I have no idea what I just wrote but I think it was good...I definitely like the idea of a more seme Shion, as opposed to Nezumi being the more dominant one. I feel like Shion could just melt Nezumi with a smile :)

Please review! Tell me your thoughts! Let me feed on your words through my laptop screen! (Sorry that got kinda weird, but definitely review. Please. I love you.)