Author note: Well, this is the last full chapter,so I figured I'd let this one be huge. I miss long chapters like this, but the only thing left to his now is the epilogue. Thanks for sticking with me this far, everyone!
Warning: Sex (eventually), tiny bit of bondage, more OOC than I'd have really liked.
Pair: Shirogane and Akira Nikaido
Disclaimer: Monochrome factor is not, however much I'd like it to be, mine. Kaili Sorano owns the characters and the universe they live in. :D


With Akira in the shower, Shirogane made his way downstairs, finally ready to face his lover's parents. They were waiting in the kitchen, discussing something in low voices – no doubt him.

"Good morning." He kept his voice level. Their replies were subdued, but pleasant enough. He made three cups of tea quietly, lit a candle on the table, and murmured a quick prayer of protection for Akira before setting a cup beside the candle.

"If you don't mind me asking," Mrs Nikaido shifted slightly as he turned his bright blue eyes to her, "who's the candle for?" Shirogane ducked behind his bangs briefly, then forced himself to meet her gaze.

"Akira didn't tell you?" she shook her head. He smiled affectionately. "That's so like him. Before I met Akira, my..." How to define his relationship with Ryuko escaped him for a moment. "My partner was killed. Today is the anniversary of his death."

"Oh, I'm so sorry." Mrs Nikaido's hands were at her mouth again. Her husband patted her arm comfortingly.

"An accident?" Shirogane shook his head, and started braiding his hair as a distraction.

"Murdered, by a co-worker of mine." An awkward silence fell as Shirogane finished his braid. "Please, don't worry about it. It was many years ago, and I have moved on. Akira is fully aware of the situation."

"And Ryuko wouldn't want you moping." Akira's voice made them jump. "Come on, you and Kou can go get some 'work' done to blow off some steam. Mum said you wanted to come with us today, dad. Better go get your jacket."

"Where are we going?" she asked. Akira had the sense to look embarrassed.

"Shuichi-san owns a bar in the town centre. We meet there before he opens." The silence was almost tangible.

"Master's very good about it." Shirogane reassured them. "He's never let anyone underage even taste alcohol, let alone buy it. It's just me and Kou that drink."

"How old are you?" Mr Nikaido huffed. Shirogane looked a little embarrassed, and hid behind his bangs.

"If you don't mind, I'd rather not say. It's one of the few things I'd rather keep to myself." Akira nodded, and passed his lover his cane.

"Look at him, dad, how old do you think he is? Forty two?" Shirogane playfully bopped him over the head.

"Cheeky brat." He leant across and blew out the candle. "Forty two, honestly..." bright blue eyes sparkled mischievously, and cherry red lips curved into a slight smile. "Come on, if we don't get there soon, Kou will drive everyone insane."

"Like he doesn't anyway." Akira snorted, swiping everything from the table into a backpack.

The trip to the bar was uneventful, by their standards. No Kokuchi popped out at them. No renegade Shin appeared. It was just a nice, ordinary walk to meet with friends.

Kou was already slumped over on the bar, nursing an empty glass. Several more were lined up by his elbow, and for once Master didn't comment. Kengo and Aya were on either side of him, looking worried.

"Hey guys." Akira waved briefly. Master nodded towards him.

"Good morning. Shirogane-san, I've got a drink here with your name on it." He tilted his head in confusion. "Is there someone else with you? I don't recognise that perfume." Akira's parents blinked.

"Uh, yeah." Akira chuckled as they all sat. "My parents. Mom, dad, this is Shuichi Wagatsuma." Master nodded politely.

"Call me Master, everyone else does." He smiled. "Forgive me; my condition makes it hard to recognise new people."

"Condi-" Mr Nikaido stopped himself when he realised why Master's eyes were closed. The bartender chuckled.

"It's not really a disability, so most people forget, but yes, I'm blind." Shirogane sat and knocked back the drink.

"Disability." he chuckled. "Give me another." He held out the glass. "I want to be dizzy and slurring by the time Kou and I get to work."

"That a good idea?" Master asked tentatively. "You do this every year, and every year you regret it and come back here bloodied up and complaining."

"Just pour me a damn drink." The Shin ordered. Akira sighed.

"Don't come crying to me with a hangover." He rolled his eyes. Shou leaned across the bar. Regardless of the Kokouchi incident, she'd... he'd kept his job at Bar Still.

"What'll it be?"

"Three coffees," Akira slid the money across the bar "and something for the rest of you guys too."

"So... how do you know Akira?" Mr Nikaido asked Kou warily, fully aware of how inebriated the other man was. They'd been sitting there for at least forty-five minutes by now, and Kou had been knocking back drink after drink. Shirogane sat on the other side of him doing exactly the same.

"Met him a few years back." Kou made the effort not to slur, and failed. "Got in a fight with some punks and I helped out a bit. Him and Ken are good kids really. Aya-chan too, but she's wicked scary." Shirogane bopped him over the head.

"Enough, Kou." He stood and stretched, revealing a slice of ivory stomach. "Time to get to work."

"Alright." Kou staggered to his feet.

"Hey!" Akira grabbed Shirogane's wrist. "I can't be there, so give them hell for me, okay?" he tugged the Royal Shin down for a brief kiss. "And come back in one piece, alright?"

"I promise." Shirogane returned the kiss gently. "I'll see you later." The two of them left.

"Akira, will you and your parents stay and have lunch here?" Master offered. "I'll even give you a discount."

"New menu?" Kengo asked cheekily. "We'll be glad to sample it!" Aya clonked him gently.

"Nu-uh, Kengo! Mayu-san's taking us shopping, remember?"

"I don't wanna!" the blond whined as she forced him out of the door.

"Thanks Master." Akira nodded. The blind man disappeared into the back with Shou, leaving the Nikaido family alone. He turned to his parents. "So, what do you think of everyone?" his mother finished her coffee thoughtfully.

"Aya and Kengo seem as lively as ever." Akira chuckled at the understatement. "That nice young man, Shou? Are he and Aya courting?" Akira shook his head.

"Shou sees Aya as a role model. She figured that Aya is the manliest girl around, so…"

"She?" Mr Nikaido choked.

"Yeah." Akira grinned. "So what about the others?"

"Master seems like a nice guy. His mother continued. "At least he didn't serve any of you anything alcoholic." She ruffled his hair. "I'm even starting to understand what you see in Shirogane-san. That Kou, on the other hand…"

"He seems very irresponsible considering his age." His father finished her sentence.

"He does today." Akira told them lowly. "Ryuko was like a father to him."

"Ryuko was a man?" Mrs Nikaido started flicking through the menu. "So Shirogane-san only likes men?" Akira turned pink and shrugged.

"As far as I know. He's never expressed an interest in girls."

"Aki, sweetheart, I know this is awkward, but…" his mother shifted in her seat, so his father took over again. Akira couldn't help but think it was kind of sweet.

"He didn't force you into anything, did he?" the 'sweet' went away.

"What? No!" he yelped. "He's never pushed me to do anything! Ever!" aside from get involved in the whole Homurabi mess, become a Shin… actually… that was a fair bit, thinking on it.

"So he didn't…"

"No, he isn't blackmailing me into sleeping with him." Akira rolled his eyes, and ignored his parents' winces. "He's not forcing me to date him. He didn't make me like guys." A surprised flash slid across his father's face. "That happened before I met him."

"Who?" Mr Nikaido's voice was tense. Akira shook his head.

"I'm not telling you. It's not important now anyway." They were, thankfully, interrupted by Shou appearing to take their orders for lunch.

By the time they'd finished, Shirogane and Kou had returned. Shirogane was in one piece, as ordered by Akira, but Kou was bloodied and bruised. Still raving drunkenly about 'bastard redheads', 'king of nothing, the goddamn usurper', and other such things, Master hauled the Rei up to his private rooms to sober up.

Once they were back home, Akira settled down with his guitar on the floor between Shirogane's knees, and purred softly as his lover hummed along with the music. It was a comfortable routine from a stressful day, usually followed by breathless kisses and stolen gropes. However, with Akira's parents in the room, they had to make do.

Shirogane started fiddling with the end of his braid, and it started tickling Akira's neck with every twitch.

"Damn it, Shirogane!" he tugged on the plait, making the older man whimper with the unexpected pain. Shirogane obediently followed the no-verbal directions to switch seats with his younger lover. Akira grumbled under his breath as he undid the braid, and started brushing through the silver strands.

"You two are actually a rather cute couple." Akira's mother mused. Akira blushed, but the happy smile on Shirogane's face made it worth it.


TBC