Those words, those last mischievous words, stick on Shion's ears even in daylight.
"You're going to be fun...to corrupt."
Shion slides over to the edge of his window, knowing Nezumi won't make an appearance on the street below for hours, but anticipation stretches his neck nonetheless.
"Shion." A muted knock follows Karan's voice.
"Come in."
Karan opens the door tentatively, brow knit with worry. "Has something been bothering you, honey? You seemed tense last night."
Shion's brain desperately flings him an excuse. "I was just tired. I'm fine now."
Karan sighs, her concern diffusing into a knowing smile.
"You stay up far too late with your nose buried in books."
Shion tries his best to conceal his relief.
"Yeah."
Karan plants a kiss on his forehead. "Could you do me a favor?"
"Sure."
"I realized at breakfast we're almost out of milk. Would you get us some?"
"Of course."
"Thank you, love. Be safe on the street."
"I will."
Shion likes the long way to the store best. He takes the city in through his pores, admires the impossibly broad spectrum of people living, thriving around him.
A beautifully imperfect place.
He weaves through the familiar hairline-fracture alleyways, humming his cheerfulness. Suddenly, another voice projects into the air, competing with his.
Sitting against the wall of the street before him, cup at his feet, just like he looks beneath Shion's window.
"Nezumi-!"
Nezumi ceases his song, smirk already spreading across his face.
"You couldn't wait for me to reach your window? How sweet."
"I'm just here to get milk." Shion stares down the block to his final destination, fighting the embarrassment of last night's memories.
"You crush me." Nezumi fakes a pout. "I like my reason better."
Shion brushes past, shaking his head, and Nezumi relishes the view of his back.
"What kind do we get again?" Shion asks the air, trying to clear his head of Nezumi-induced fog. He stares at the milk without seeing it at all.
"I think..." He reaches for a carton, inspects it, and shrugs, making his way to checkout.
When he emerges from the store, Nezumi is still there, still singing. This time the voice works its magic, stopping Shion in his tracks.
Shion can't help himself; he takes a seat next to Nezumi on the concrete.
Nezumi continues his song, watching the boy close his eyes, rest his head against the wall of the building standing high above them.
A smile seeps into his song.
As he finishes, Shion turns to him.
"You sing beautifully."
"I appreciate it."
Shion stares at Nezumi for a short silence, then mutters half to himself:
"Without music, life would be a mistake."
"Nietzche. Interesting." A spark lights in Nezumi's eyes. "Music, when soft voices die, vibrates in the memory."
"Shelley." Shion's face softens. He's met someone as well-read as he. "I love Shelley."
The spark bursts into flame.
"It seems I underestimated you, flower."
"Oh? In what way?"
Nezumi's gaze lifts to burn Shion's. "In many ways, I imagine."
The fire spreads to Shion's cheek.
"I-I'm not a girl, you know."
"Excuse me?"
"You keep saying such...provocative things."
Shion stares at his lap.
"I don't like being mocked."
"You make it too enjoyable to mock you. Your face is as red as your eyes."
Nezumi pulls Shion's head toward him. "Such a lovely, albino flower-"
"Stop it." Shion swats him away.
"I won't say you couldn't be mistaken for one, but yes, I'm aware you're not a girl."
"Then you're just spiteful."
"Now you underestimate me."
Nezumi reaches a hand up through Shion's hair. "I meant what I said last night, you know."
Shion tenses at fingertips against his ear. Nezumi's eyes narrow with mirth.
"And it's been as fun as I thought it would be."
Slowly Nezumi rubs his thumb back and forth on Shion's cheek. Shion sighs with a shudder and his eyes flutter shut.
"Look at you, you don't pull away." Nezumi's face inches closer. "You tainted quickly."
"Apparently-you-can't do anything quickly."
Shion cracks an eyelid. Nezumi blinks, startled, then lets loose a devilish laugh.
"Less than twenty-four hours. That must be some kind of record."
"Quiet."
Shion yanks Nezumi to him with force Nezumi didn't anticipate. Nezumi's lips smile beneath Shion's, and his hands make their way down to Shion's waist. They play at the band of his pants when Shion jerks back, breathless.
"You've had your fill?" Nezumi settles against the wall, taking in the flustered boy before him.
"Using your mouth to speak is much different than using it on someone else's, eh? For all your adorable attempts at flirtation, a first kiss is a first kiss."
He rises from the pavement. "I'll let you recover. You know two places to find me when you're ready for more."
Shion is too shocked at himself to reply. When he comes to, he realizes, to his dismay, that the milk probably won't be any good by the time he gets home.
He walks back to the store with a wobble in his step.
~~~End
A/N: All I can say is that this is a blast to write. Thank you all for the kind words and deeds so far. Cheers.
