Hellos, everyone! I'm back with another little ShiroAki story! I've been told that 'Shadowed Thoughts' should be longer, and honesty comes forth: I was considering making it longer from the start, and I still am now. Current moment considered, though, I have very little time. I think I'll continue to develop ideas for it and then write more when life settles down a little bit, if it ever will. Same goes for this one. It is meant to be longer, but for right now, I'll leave it as a one-shot. Since I'm moving in about a week and a half, I need to focus on school, work, and getting ready for the move before almost anything else (as much as I would like to worry about fun things).

So, before I start, I want to clear a few things up. First, this is something I should have thought of before beginning posting these stories. The Japanese use the term 'Shin' to refer to shadows; therefore, Shirogane is a Shin, Akira is a Shin, etc. However, since Shirogane was originally a Shin, I refer to him alone as a Shin. There's that.

Also, I'm not sure if Shirogane's hair being in a braid is an important element, as I'm getting held up on watching stuff (I have only up to episode 14 available to me at the moment, and volume 1 of the manga) so I decided to not mess with it. So, please respect that. :) If there is a more valid reason that the one I came up with, I would love to hear it. Please do not rip my head off over it.

Without further ado, please enjoy 'Different'.

yusahana6323

.oOOo.

Light filtered softly into the room, flitting and playing across his eyes. With a low moan, he rolled over, burrowing deeply under the covers. Nikaidou Akira didn't want to wake up, didn't want to get on with the day. Lying here comfortable and warm was perfectly fine with him.

In fact, he might have fallen asleep again if he hadn't noticed the fact that something, something felt different. Irritated, he opened one sharp grey eye to glance about for what it might be. He couldn't rightly go back to sleep when something wasn't to his liking.

It didn't take long, especially since what was in question turned out to be missing from in his bed, and/or the immediate vicinity thereof. Shirogane wasn't trying to sweet-talk him. In fact, Akira didn't even see him. A bit frustrated that such a small thing as Shirogane not being nearby was keeping him awake, Akira pulled the covers over his head and settled into his mattress.

Unfortunately the time ticked by and Akira was still unable to fall asleep. Nearly growling angrily, he sat straight up and threw the covers off.

"SHIROGANEEEE!!"

And the Shin instantly turned from where he was standing across the room in the shadows, blue eyes wide. Akira also froze when he realized what he was seeing – a long, silky waterfall cascading to the ground, splashing about the floor.

"Akira-kun…!"

His hair was out of its braid. The sight of the silver strands glimmering in the occasional flash of light that played through the air, glinting off Akira's collar, absolutely took his breath away. For a moment that stretched out forever, they stared at each other. Akira, without being able to take his gaze from that fall, tried to figure out what was going on. His heart was thudding heavily in his chest.

Suddenly Shirogane's hands flew back, expertly twisting the hair back into a tight braid. Akira, for some reason, wanted to tell him to stop, but his voice caught in his throat. All the could do was watch the long, elegant curtain tie into a plait once more.

"You sure surprised me," Shirogane said with his usual smile as he smoothed his eartails over his shoulders. "I didn't think Akira-kun would be awake so early."

He felt himself darken, so he stammered, "F-forget that! Why are you all the way over there? Why did you take your hair out?" He had seen a part of Shirogane that the man hadn't been willing to show him. It was something he didn't want to give up. Shirogane was so secretive it was overly annoying. Why was he so paranoid over Akira seeing his hair down? "Huh?!"

"Oh, did you miss my warmth, Akira-kun?" the Shin sang, a mischievous gleam in his eyes.


"Far from it," Akira hissed as Shirogane flashed to the side of the bed. Kicking out to keep the man from trying to feel him up, he then snapped, "So tell me!"

Shirogane looked at him with those blue eyes, and instantly Akira felt, completely against his will, that he had done something wrong. There was a moment of awkward silence before Shirogane asked, "Akira-kun, I ask that you trust me –"

"Is that the only answer you have for my questions?" Akira demanded. Did Shirogane know how irritating it was, to only hear that response? He wasn't asking for Shirogane's entire life story. Simple answers… just simple answers would do. At this rate, even lies would suffice; Akira would never know the difference. Anything would be better than 'trust me'.

"I know it's difficult –"

"Forget it," he snapped, pushing past Shirogane to get to his feet. "Just… forget it. Forget I ever asked."

He knew Shirogane could tell how angry he was – even though Shirogane acted dumb, Akira knew better. The Shin was really quite intelligent. So, for this reason, he didn't mind undressing and getting into his school uniform right in front of Shirogane. Usually the man would drool and fanboy over it, spout innuendo, caress, anything, but Akira knew the punishment this would be.

"Akira-kun –"

"Leave me alone."

"Do you want to braid it?"

He stopped dead at the doorway, hand hovering above the doorknob. He slowly glanced back at Shirogane, who was still kneeling at the bedside. The man's blue eyes were serious.

"Do you want to braid my hair?" Shirogane repeated.

It was a simple, stupid question, but Akira's heart started beating harder at the idea. Hesitatingly, he went back over and sat on the bed. Shirogane's eyes hadn't left his face. Akira nodded once, and that was all it took for the Shin to release his hair, letting it fall silkily again.

"Please be careful," was Shirogane's only request.

Akira's hands were shaking as he carefully wove the strands. He had never braided before, but he did his best. Every now and then he pulled too hard, but not a complaint left Shirogane's lips. It was a long, peaceful silence, comfortable and warm, as Akira's unexperienced but careful fingers fashioned the plait. 

The silver strands glowed with a pure light in the early sun, still just as breathtaking as they had been shrouded in shadows. His heart didn't slow for even a beat – it moved up to his throat, even, and continued to torture him there as Shirogane slipped through his fingers.

Please, he prayed silently, though he didn't know why, don't let him know.

As he was nearing the end, Shirogane asked, "Akira-kun?"

"Ha?" was the response.

"If you want to braid it, I'll let you anytime."

"Is there a reason you keep it in a braid?"

His voice shook, and he heard it. Maybe Shirogane did too, because there was a thoughtful silence before he said, "It's easier to fight with it in a braid."

If that was a lie, it was a good one. Akira could easily see the sense in it. Though, if it was a lie, Akira wouldn't know any better. He got to the end and secured the braid before tossing it to the ground.

"There."

"Thank you, Akira-kun."

There was a gentle, sensual honesty in those three words that brought a flush back to his cheeks. It was embarrassing… it was thoroughly embarrassing, for some reason. He roughly got to his feet, and with an, "I'm going to school," he rushed out, hoping that Shirogane hadn't seen his red face, praying that the man hadn't discovered his beating heart.

In the end, he was so flustered he forgot that Shirogane would be with him all the way to school.