"Thank you Oba-san!" The little girl waved to Karan as she left the shop with her mother.
"Bye bye." Karan waved back, a warm feeling growing inside at the sight of the girl's wide smile. This was partly why she loved her bakery. She loved the enticing smell of freshly baked bread, but most of all she loved that feeling she got when she saw her costumers' facing brighten with delight at the sight of her bread. Thinking about this, she almost didn't notice her son about to shut the front door behind him.
"Shion?" She said. "Where are you going? I thought you were off work today."
The red eyed boy stared at his mother for a moment. "Just somewhere…" He smiled, the snake dancing a little.
Karan frowned. "That's quite vague."
"I'll be back soon." He assured her and quickly left before she could get in a word edgeways.
Even though a month had passed since the collapse of the great wall that had once encompassed No.6, everything seemed new and foreign. Sure, he was viewing the same amber sunset that rested lazily on the horizon. Its glow echoed throughout the sky and faded out at the edges. Something tickled his shoulder. It was Hamlet, demanding a better view of the evening.
"Nezumi…"
Shion couldn't gaze at the sky forever. He had somewhere to go.
It was a long walk to the West Block, to the place where he and Nezumi lived and argued and laughed and ate. Shion remembered the depressing state it had been in when the military tanks roamed the streets, destroying everything, and everyone, in sight. 'Holy Day' seemed an unfitting title for the events that had occurred. But things change. It seemed that the destruction of the wall and the West Block led to new life, new beginnings. West Block was rebuilding, regrowing. Slowly, but surely. There was a little life and movement in this old wreckage but, Shion knew, this was only the beginning.
Before he knew it, he stood before that wooden door. Hamlet squirmed impatiently as he waited for Shion to open the door. And he did. He was greeted with the same room- the same bookshelves with the same books, the same bed, the same everything, but there was something the place lacked- warmth. That was the warmth that radiated from Nezumi and penetrated his everything.
Memories of his time here came flooding back. In his mind he replayed the soft, cute expression Nezumi only dared to show in his sleep. He replayed their first waltz around the room. He replayed their first kiss…
Sinking to his knees, he knelt by the bed and sniffed the sheets. Nezumi's scent somehow managed to cling to it for a whole month. He breathed in again and let the air fill his lungs and her held it there and tried to feel Nezumi one last time. After all, he promised himself this would be the final time.
"I hope you're not going to jerk off with that." A voice came from the front door. "You'll dirty the sheets.
Shion's eyes widened, his face filled with shock. He didn't have time to blush at the comment. He instantly got to his feet and swivelled round. "Could this really be…?!" It really was. It was Nezumi.
"Ne…Ne…Ne…!"
"Don't tell me you've forgotten my name already?" Nezumi smirked.
"Nezumi!" The cry finally burst from his lips. He lunged forward straight into the dark haired boys arms with such force that they fell backwards.
"Whoa! Careful, Shion."
Shion quickly got off Nezumi. "S-Sorry. I was just… so… surprised." Shion's gaze dropped. "You were missing for a whole month. I…I was worried you wouldn't come back. And…" The ruby eyes misted over, single tear drop managed to escape and roll down his cheek for freedom. "I… I wasn't sure what to do…" And at that he finally broke down. The air was filled with sobs and sniffles.
Nezumi lifted his delicate, slender fingers and wiped Shion's tears. "Shh…" He said softly. "It's okay, you don't have to cry. I'm here now, aren't I?"
"Ne…Nezumi…"
In a swift action, the dark haired boy enveloped his friend in a tight squeeze. The sobs ceased. The tears stopped flowing. Shion slowly lifted his own arms and hugged him back.
A squeak. Hamlet had somehow managed to perch himself on Nezumi's head without him noticing.
"Oh, looks like Hamlet didn't want to get left out." Shion smiled weakly. The boys both laughed.
Night was approaching fast. With the dark invading the night sky and the sun going into hiding, Shion knew he'd have to leave soon. He wouldn't want his mother to worry. The boys had spent the evening catching up. Shion talked about his new job and his new friends and his new life after the events of Holy Day. Nezumi, on the other hand, didn't say much and spent most of the time listening to Shion and urging him to go on.
Soon conversation had stopped and a strange silence filled the room. It wasn't awkward at all, but it was something new. Shion figured this would be the correct time to depart for home, but he struggled making that first step; something was pulling him back. A voice was telling him not to leave. To stay here with Nezumi. To never let him leave his sight.
He abruptly got to his feet. "It's getting late, isn't it?"
"Yeah…" Nezumi responded. He knew where this was going. He didn't want it to go there.
"I guess I should… head home or something or my mother would get worried."
"Say hi to Karan for me." Nezumi leaned back against the wall.
"Sure." Shion nodded. He opened the door and looked out. It looked so bleak, so cold, outside. He'd do anything to get to stay in their special place, together.
"You might want to leave before midnight, Cinderella."
"I know that."
"Or could it be perhaps…" Nezumi got to his feet and stood millimetres behind Shion, literally a breath away. Shion could feel his heat, his comforting warmth. "…that you don't want to leave?"
Shion's face reddened but he didn't turn around. "M-Maybe…"
Nezumi grinned. That was all he needed. He took hold of the white-haired boy and pulled him along.
"Nezumi?! Where are we going?" Nezumi said nothing and pulled him out into the open air. Silence surrounded them. The darkness engulfed the world around them. Only they existed. Everyone else and everything else was elsewhere, in a far away dimension, separate from their own. Without another word, Nezumi faced Shion, pulled their bodies close, and took both of his slightly smaller hands. Two hands on shoulders, two hands clasped tightly together, clinging desperately to each other, never wanting to let go.
"Now, now, you know the drill." Nezumi said finally. "Stand up straight. Chin up. Don't look down. 1 2 3, 1 2 3…"
And then it began. Nezumi took the lead and they glided and spun around, hands still clenched together, millimetres between them. Shion was floating. He would've been flying if he wasn't dragging his feet so much.
"I'm not impressed." Nezumi said. "I gave you enough time to practice yet you're still no good."
"Well so-rry!" Shion cried. "I didn't expect to be dancing out here in the middle of the night." Then his voice softened. "I didn't expect to meet you." He lowered his head, white hair tickled Nezumi's neck. "I missed you so much, Nezumi." Nezumi stopped moving. They both stood still. Shion lifted his head. "Nezumi?" Nezumi found himself enchanted by those glittery ruby eyes.
Before he could process what was going on, Nezumi hesitantly leaned forward, closing the space between them. His lips pressed softly against Shion's for only a second. "Soft." Nezumi thought. And for a while, that was the only thing on his mind- that and the longing for Shion's lips again. Their lips met again, longer this time, and they stayed locked for what seemed like ages.
Finally they separated and, hand in hand, they lost themselves in each other's eyes. The moon shot a spotlight on the couple.
"Nezumi…"
"Hmm?" He ran a hand through Shion's hair.
"Come back with me. Come and live with me."
Nezumi sighed. "You know I loathe that place."
"But… the wall is gone. There's no No.6 anymore."
"You and I both know that's not true."
Shion thought frantically. "Then! Can I stay with you?" Nezumi didn't answer. "Please," Shion begged in a whisper.
"But you don't want to make Karan worry."
"I don't… but…" Nezumi silenced him with a brief kiss. Then he traced the red snake from his face down his neck. Shion shivered at his touch. "Don't leave me, Nezumi…"
The dark haired boy pulled him close. He cradled his head against his chest. "Don't worry." He whispered. "I won't leave you."
"Not this time. Not ever."