Nezumi looked around the apartment cautiously. "Any security I need to check for?" he called out. Shion, who was brushing his teeth in the bathroom called back, gargling "I'm not that much of a big shot. But you can check for something to eat."

Shion apparently lived a bachelor's life. The apartment consisted of just a bedroom, kitchen and a large living room. A floor-to-ceiling window dominated one of the walls. It shoud overlook the city, but all the curtains were drawn. Huge bookshelves lined the walls of the living room. A beautiful collection. Still, in this dim light it felt like a room full of dusty mementos.

The place was spacious enough, and Shion kept it clean. Besides a few scattered papers on the dining table, only a ratty looking couch disturbed the scene. Nezumi did a double take. It was the couch from the little room they'd lived in in the West Block. You're still holding on tight to every scrap of your precious memory.

Nezumi sighed and let his hand glide over the coarse surface of the couch. Are you still sitting here every night and thinking of that place? No wonder I felt like you were calling out to me all the time.

Opening the fridge, Nezumi frowned. A withered-looking head of lettuce, a cup of pudding and one hard boiled egg. Nezumi wouldn't usually turn his nose up at a spread like this, but he'd expected Shion to live a little less frugal. Surely government officials earned enough money to eat their fill every day.

Shion's cupboards were bare as well, besides dishes and cutlery. A cup of sugar and half a bag of flour here, a salt shaker there. Did he really live like this? The same Shion, who had worn a smile of delight and complete satisfaction even at the smell of a little vegetable scrap soup and a cup of warm sugar water?

Nezumi stood brooding in the door frame as Shion stepped out of the bathroom.
"Looks like your doctor has more to worry about than just your colds. I can still make a delicious breakfast with that stuff, of course, but it looks like Inukashi's dogs eat better than you."

Shion looked a bit surprised. "Ah, yeah..." He rubbed his neck and smiled apologetically, "I hear he actually feeds them so well these days, his own son gets jealous. It's-"

Nezumi's fist hit the door frame and Shion flinched back.

Are you really trying to make a joke out of it? 'I'm alright, you trained me, Nezumi', that was what you said when you shouldered the heaviest burdens of your life. And now you're lying about food? Did it just take a measly 7 years to turn you back into an oblivious brat? Don't you dare make me worry about you.
Nezumi shook his head to clear his thoughts. No, if Shion wasn't taking care of himself, that wasn't weakness. There was nothing to punish.

"What's wrong?" Nezumi said calmly. "Tell me."

Nezumi had noticed it before, but it only sank in now, as Shion bowed his head to avoid his eyes. He was short and kind of thin. Not athletic thin, or elegantly slender, not starved, but it almost looked like he hadn't grown much since when they had said goodbye. As if he hadn't wanted to grow. A lump of pity settled in his stomach. Nezumi knew how far-fetched it was, making assumptions based on his appearance like that, but he couldn't help the observation.

"Look, Nezumi, I just forgot..." Shion said, his eyes still turned to the floor. His voice was hard, like he was forcing out the emotion with all his might. Then he sucked in a breath of air and balled his hands into fists.

"No. That's... not true." He turned up his head and looked straight into Nezumi's eyes. The surge of strength in his demeanor made Nezumi proud. That's right. Open the window and scream into the storm.

"I promised I wouldn't lie to you. You can hit me if you want to."

"I don't want to."

"But I still have to tell you the truth. Sometimes I don't eat anything but chunks of old bread for a few days because otherwise I can't taste anything. One time I... I got so used to it I fainted at work. Since a few years...I can't really eat until I'm full anymore. It feels like I'm taking more than my fair share. I never buy more food than barely enough for a meal. Buying meat makes me nauseous. The smell...reminds me of the Correctional Facility."

All through his confession, Shion had kept the resolve in his eyes, even if his voice shook and he stumbled at his own words a few times. It was visibly painful for him to put it into words, to admit it.

"You know, I went to therapy for a long time. It was always about trying to keep the nightmares in check, and coping with panic attacks and all those things. And it helped a lot. I'm sleeping pretty well now and I don't lose it anymore every time I hear loud footsteps. I thought I was... No, I am doing better. But there are always these-", he clenched his teeth and heaved a sigh of frustration, "These blind spots! Those few months changed me so much, I still keep finding thoughts and nasty habits I hadn't noticed and new proplems keep popping up all the time. I... feel like I'm never going to be done with it." He fell silent.

Nezumi let the tension go from his shoulders and pulled Shion close to his chest, stroking his snowy hair. He wanted to comfort him, but wouldn't it be off-putting?

People he had met on his travels had shown him that kind words didn't have to be meaningless and shallow.

You've been through so much. None of that was your fault. Thank you for confiding in me. I'm here, you're not alone. They had sounded empty to him once, but now... I'll give these all back to you Shion. All these words of warmth and hope. I want to give them back to you, as thanks. You showed me a blindingly bright way I hadn't seen before. Can I try to show you a new road I found, too?

But the words stuck in his throat now, useless, and wouldn't come out.

"Let's cook something." Nezumi said eventually.

You're not wrong or weak for feeling like that, Shion. But you still have to change and go a little further. Your feeling is right, I think. You're never done with it.

"I don't... want to share a cup of pudding for breakfast."

"Oh? So you decided to be selfish just now?"

"No." Shion had relaxed a bit, but he was still speaking true from his heart. "I want us to eat well today."

Nezumi smiled silently. What should I say to that, Shion? I still can't say thanks quite like you. You got your fighting spirit back so quickly. I'll have to work hard to keep up with you from now on.

"Is your mother still working?"

"Yes, her bakery has become a really trendy spot. I can tell her we're coming over."

"So she can shoo out the other customers?"

"So she won't faint at the sight of you." Shion said with a smile.

Nezumi tousled his hair. I'm glad you're still the same, Shion. You're still picking fights with yourself even if it hurts like hell.