AN: Whoa, there's one of these before the chapter? Does this mean you all should be afraid? Not at all. I figured I'd just tell you all a little something before I got started. See, in order to plan out the perfect date, I had to imagine what this place would look like in the future, once it wasn't the false utopia that it had been. Also, I had to try to figure what people would do for fun. Needless to say it was starting to beat me up due to lack of information. Then a dear friend of mine reminded me of one thing. This is fan fiction. While its nice to try to make it true to form, you can also do whatever you want to it. So I figured, since there's a certain anime that deserves a tribute as much as No. 6 deserved this story that I'd use some people from it to keep the date rolling on. So here's why I put this here. The fan to correctly guess which anime I stole our guest spot from will get to tell me if the date continues past this, gets interrupted, or if they just skip the rest and go back home to enjoy one another's company. And remember, ten reviews brings the next chapter.
Mirror of the Past
Chapter 10:
Sion and Nezumi enjoyed a small lunch at a cute little café up near the main park. Nezumi then took Sion on a roller skating adventure through the large, open area, enjoying teaching the white haired boy how to balance and move on the single line of wheels. They managed to go around the park twice before Sion's wheel caught on a small pebble and he was pitched forward, right into Nezumi's arms.
"Klutz," Nezumi grumbled in a soft tone, showing he was merely teasing rather than being insulting.
Sion grinned, his hands having come up to hold onto Nezumi's arms to help steady himself. "I thought I was doing pretty well for my first time."
Nezumi nodded in response. "Very well. I was almost impressed."
"Really?" Sion asked, his eyes wide and happy. Nezumi laughed and lightly poked Sion's nose with his index finger.
"I said almost, idiot," he remarked back. He then moved them toward a bench, next to the skate rental place and moved to start removing the skates. "Ready for dinner? We've kind of been out here a while and we have reservations I don't want to lose."
Sion's eyes were questioning, even as he didn't expect an answer from Nezumi that would elaborate on his words any more than he had. Instead, he moved to remove his own pair, grinning once more. "Can we come do this again? I don't want to forget how to skate."
Nezumi rolled his eyes. "Its just like riding a bike. Once you learn you never forget. You just get rusty." When he got no response to that, he glanced over at Sion, only to see the boy was staring at him, looking at him weird. "What's that look for?" Nezumi asked.
"I've never thought you'd have ridden a bike before," Sion murmured, grinning up at the boy.
Nezumi snorted and shook his head. "I had to learn a lot of things, Sion. Best way to blend in is to at least look like you know what you're doing. So skating and biking were simple things to learn." He grinned and stood up, once his shoes were back on and held out his free hand to Sion. "Come on, My Dear Majesty, its time to go."
Sion paused, looking up at Nezumi, before his smile got wider. He hadn't heard Nezumi call him that in a long time. At first, Sion used to believe Nezumi was merely teasing him. Which was true. Yet as time passed, the joking words had become a sort of endearment. One that Sion had come to eagerly wait to hear day after day. Hearing it again, after such a long time, let him know that in some way, Nezumi felt the same about those words. "I'm coming," Sion said before finishing up putting his shoes back on and placing his free hand into the other mans. Together, they returned their skates and moved off toward the next part of their date. Lunch had been a simple affair, but apparently dinner wasn't going to be so simple. Especially when Nezumi brought Sion to a more high end clothing store and began searching through the racks. He pulled several items and then pushed Sion into a fitting room.
"Try them on them come out here. The pants I gave you should work with all the tops, so just experiment," Nezumi told Sion, before moving to use the wall across the way to lean against so he'd be comfortable as Sion tried on the various outfits. The chosen pair of pants was a simple, yet well fitting pair of black slacks. If Sion didn't know better, he'd think they were one of his tailored ones from home. The several shirts Nezumi had him try on all looked really well with his pale skin, red eyes, and white hair. The various colors and styles all seemed to be designed for just for him. Yet that was… impossible. Wasn't it?
"Nezumi? Why the shopping. I could have just gotten one of my suits from home," Sion remarked, smiling softly as he caressed the soft fabric as it was pulled on over his head. This shirt was different from the rest. There was an almost silky quality to it, despite not being made of the same fabric. The color was a soft cream, which brought out his eyes and helped tone down the paleness of his skin and hair. Paired with the black pants, it was perfect and he had a feeling he knew Nezumi had known it would be, seeing as it had been the first top he'd pulled off the racks.
"But then it wouldn't still be part of the date. That'd make it a break and I didn't want a break till we finally went home for the night," Nezumi casually remarked back, even as he, himself, had changed as well. Now in a pair of dress pants that were a dark, navy blue and a dark gray dress shirt that was the same material as the one he'd gotten for Sion, his storm gray eyes and dark hair stood out. Both seemed as if they were tailor made for the man. Which they had been, seeing as Nezumi had commissioned both outfits well over a week ago. He'd only acted as if he were looking for certain things because he needed the time to change as well once Sion got to the outfit he knew the other wouldn't be able to say no to.
Opening the curtain to show Nezumi, since it had been the first one that Sion had really liked, he felt his breath catch in his throat as he looked over his lover. Nezumi's long hair was now pulled back at the base of his neck with a simple tie instead of up in a high ponytail or a bun that he usually wore. The shirt and pants were like Sion's, just different colors and fit the taller man like a glove. "That looks… really good, Nezumi," Sion managed to say once he'd found his breath. Nezumi smirked and reached out to lightly twine one of Sion's white locks around his finger.
"You look really good too, My Majesty. Perhaps I should just take you home and have you for dinner instead of going where we're going," Nezumi huskily replied, leaning in to lightly kiss the corner of Sion's mouth.
"I… wouldn't oppose that plan," Sion answered, feeling his pulse pick up and his breathing begin to race at the look his words created in those gray eyes. Yet he managed to get himself composed when Nezumi shook his head.
"Stop being so honest all the time. Not that I hate it, but you make it hard to make romantic gestures and finish dates when you've got my mind rushing forward to the end rather than working on the parts that get us to that ending," Nezumi grumbled, though it wasn't without love in his tone. Sion found himself grinning and he moved forward to hug Nezumi close, just enjoying the moment.
"As long as I know we'll have that kind of ending, I'm perfectly happy with whatever else you have planned."
"Good. The clothes are paid for. So lets go," Nezumi commented, not wanting to stick around much longer. Especially when the sales girls seemed to be staring a little too much at the two of them. While he didn't mind attention, he didn't want anyone getting ideas on trying for Sion. The boy was his and he'd beat up anyone else who tried otherwise.
They caught a cab and were taken to an area just north of what had once been the Kronos living area. It was a small club. Very exclusive and usually almost impossible to get reservations in. Sion wasn't certain, but he was beginning to think that Nezumi stuck to his old ways a lot more than he'd ever let on. First he'd started acting again, then wandering the town on days off. Nezumi loved to tell Sion all about his adventures as they got ready for bed and Sion had found he'd never tired of listening to the other.
"How… is it possible you managed to get a reservation?" Sion asked, even more suspicious when the man at the door let them in without having to wait in the line that seemed to go around the building with hopefuls. People who would be allowed in if those with reservations failed to show.
Nezumi shrugged. "The owner is a fan. Has been from my time back in West Block, I came to learn. So he's made sure there's always room for me if I ask it."
Sion's red gaze widened as they were lead to a table right in front of the stage, where live bands and performances occurred. Currently, there was no one up there, but there was certainly a set up for someone to soon be up there. This was a coveted table. A spot to see it all and Nezumi had gotten it for him. He'd only been here once before. During a ceremony for the rechristening of the city. At that time, the band had been a popular one from No. 3 and the place had been packed as much as possible. Even then, he'd never been as close to the stage as he was this night. "Nezumi," he whispered, his voice fully mirroring the awe in his expression.
Nezumi smirked. "What? I can't impress you? I didn't want you to be the only one to make something of yourself. So I did a lot of things while I was wandering the world. Traveling from No. to No. It was fun, but it always reminded me of how much I was missing. Acting was the one skill I had that I didn't have to fear making money off of, so that's what I did. I had a rather wide fan base, thanks to word of my performances from West Block days and well, fans grew all over."
"And how is the mighty Eve this day?" a rather young but confident voice asked. Sion turned his head to see a rather tall young man with dirty blond hair to his shoulders and blue-gray eyes that didn't miss anything. Beside him was another young man, who only came to about his shoulders. With slightly wild brown hair and soft brown eyes, he grinned as he saw Nezumi, then glanced over at Sion.
"Doing a lot better now that I'm home, Gai," Nezumi answered, before turning to Sion. "Sion, may I introduce Tsutsugami Gai and Ouma Shu. They're co-managers for the group Egoist." He looked around. "Where's Inori?"
The brown haired young man, Shu, spoke up then. "She's getting ready. Although she has a stipulation this time, Nezumi."
Sion blinked, putting together the names and realizing that he was talking to the men responsible for finding the most amazing vocalist ever. The fact that they had just said she was getting ready made Sion's heart begin to speed. She was going to be the live entertainment tonight? He was really going to see Egoist live while having dinner with Nezumi and meeting the two men responsible for the singer's rather large following? Nezumi had been right. It had gotten a lot better!
"What stipulation? Gai, you didn't tell me she wanted something in return," Nezumi remarked, turning his gray gaze on the blond. Gai simply shrugged, giving Nezumi and casual shrug.
"What can I say, she just asked for it. I figured you'd be okay with it. You usually are."
Nezumi sighed, looking down a moment before looking right at Sion. "What does she want?"
"For you to sing with her. Said something that the plan would have more impact if you're singing with her. Especially tonight," Gai answered, grinning when those gray eyes shot back to him. He hadn't given away the surprise, but man, it was hard when the boy with Nezumi seemed to be overly eager and happy already and all that been said was Inori was getting ready.
"I'm on a date, Gai. Shu… convince the man that dates are meant to be with the one you want to be with, not with irritating managers with last minute requests," Nezumi grumbled, turning to the brown haired boy.
Shu smiled, shrugging. "I've got no power over either of them, sorry," he said, even as he glanced toward the white haired man.
"Please, do it," Sion said suddenly, his red gaze locking on Nezumi's gray one the second the other turned to him at those words. "I love Egoist, you know that from the cd's in my room. Seeing you sing with Inori would be a memory I can keep forever… and perhaps they'll let us meet her afterward… since she obviously knows you."
Nezumi looked from Gai to Shu, then back to Sion before realizing the blond was right. It would have more impact this way and he knew without fail that Inori would join them afterward. If that was something Sion wanted, well, then he'd move heaven and hell to get it for the man. "Fine. But only because you want me to, Sion. Not for any other reason." He stood up and moved over to stand beside Sion. "You okay with this? It's the second time I've had to part from you during our date, you know."
"Third, technically, but that's okay. I've got a front row seat so I know you'll be just in front of me," Sion answered, smiling warmly. "You go sing with her, Nezumi. I want you to sing with her."
Nezumi sighed and held up his hands in defeat. "Fine. But if we can't get rid of any of them after the song, I'm blaming you," Nezumi grumbled before letting Gai lead him off toward the backstage area. Shu looked at Sion and smiled, noticing the other seemed to almost be ready to take off in happiness.
"Want some company as they finish setting up?" Shu asked.
Sion looked at the other man and gave him a small smile, nodding his head. "I'd like that. Perhaps you can tell me how Nezumi managed to meet all of you?"
Shu smiled back, taking one of the seats that no one had been sitting in. "Oh, well, that was purely because of Inori. She was holding a concert over in No. 4 and Eve was on stage at a theater near where the event was to be held. She was wanting something to do during her free time and went to watch a performance. She fell in love with his voice and now won't stop making us try to get him to sing with her whenever she can.
"When he called us, asking if we'd help him out with some ultimate date he had planned, Inori dropped all her plans and made us come. Of course, she'd waited till it was pretty much too late to say she wouldn't sing unless he joined her," Shu explained.
Sion blinked in surprise, even as he began to look nervous, almost worried. If someone as pretty as Inori was in love with Nezumi's voice, wouldn't the other want someone like her once he got tired of being with another man? His expression must have given him away, because before he could say anything, Shu placed a hand on his shoulder.
"Don't look so worried. She's in love with his voice, not the man himself. Besides, all Eve ever talked about when they're together was his dear majesty and how much he wished he was back with him. Seeing as he called us for your date, I'm assuming you have to be the man he was talking about."
Sion turned a soft shade of red, which stood out on his pale cheeks and smiled softly. "He… really talked about me all the time?"
Shu laughed. "Yeah. Almost every chance he could, though don't tell him I told you. He might get mad at me."
Sion smiled and turned his face to the stage. So, even though they'd been apart, Nezumi had talked about him. All the years they'd been separated, and yet they'd still been together. Because while Nezumi had been talking and thinking about him, Sion had been doing the same over Nezumi. It made his heart swell with emotion for the other and made his eagerness to watch the show all the more genuine. He was going to see his two favorite singers perform together. Since Nezumi had never done a CD, he had nothing of his save the memories of hearing him sing. So knowing he could add one more memory made this all the more exciting.