WARNING! THIS CHAPTER IS RATED M. IF YOU DON'T LIKE YAOI, THEN LEAVE. (On second thought, how did you manage to get this far if you don't like yaoi?)

For the rest of you, please enjoy!

Shion had awoken the moment sunlight hit his eyes, and with an excited attitude, jumped out of the warm bed to see what Nezumi had left him under the tree today. Maybe it was just the Christmas spirit in action, or perhaps the wonderful kiss he and Nezumi shared last night, but Shion felt very excited, for some reason, at what he would find under the tree. His heart pounded in rhythm with his feet as he ran to the tree, nearly waking the rats from their slumber nearby.

Shion was thrilled when he saw the small red candle that Nezumi left, and he picked it up, warm, fuzzy feelings once again rushing through him as he smiled and ran his thumb over the wax. The color was so deep that it reminded Shion of the color of his eyes.

That's probably why he got it, a voice in Shion's head said, and Shion shook his head, smiling softly. This was before Nezumi kissed him, but it brought Shion a nice feeling to think that Nezumi did.

Shion was still in his soft daze when he walked into the kitchen to fix some breakfast and put the candle in a holder. He saw that Nezumi had left out the bread for him, and Shion nearly chuckled at the kind gesture.

Man, I have it bad, Shion thought to himself, but strangely enough, he didn't care. He could still feel Nezumi's lips pressing against his own, and feel Nezumi's lips trailing down his sensitive scar…

"Ah, stop, stop," Shion told himself aloud, slapping his face with both hands. He really needed to stop thinking about that. It was all he could think about as he lied in bed last night, trying to sleep. He had stopped the kiss from going too far, but it had also reminded him of Dogkeeper's drunken suggestion. Shion shook his head, trying to clear his thoughts of that suggestion. It was way too embarrassing to even think of, and besides, they only really kissed a few times. Wouldn't they be moving too fast?

Shion quickly fixed himself something to eat, then went into the library to think of something he could give Nezumi. He quickly thought of a book as a gift, but there was no telling if Nezumi had every book in the world in that library. A card? No, that was lame. Money? Shion didn't have much, but maybe it would suffice…?

Shion racked his brain for a solution, beginning to feel a bit frustrated. Shion picked up one of Nezumi's worn-out books, suddenly thinking that maybe if he read a little of the books here, he could figure something out. He read the cover, The Sacred Book of Yaoi, and turned to a random page to read, all the while thinking it was a strange title for what appeared to be a classical book. After only a few paragraphs, however, Shion slammed the book shut and nearly threw it across the room, his face turning a bright crimson as his mouth hung open in horror. So Nezumi was into this kind of stuff…? Shion, struggling to erase the book's rather graphic images from his mind, tried to control his blush as he picked up another book, only to have the exact thing happen again. The sound of the book hitting the wall across the room reverberated throughout the library, and Shion nearly ran out of the library, his face feeling as if it was on fire.

Nezumi left the theater, feeling horrible. Sure, it was his last day on the job, but throughout the day, he had tried to find something for Shion, only to come up empty-handed. Nezumi sighed in the cold, windy air and ran his hands through his sweat-dampened hair, frustrated. If he didn't find anything for Shion on the way home, he would feel terrible about it, and Nezumi wondered if he could even face going home to Shion without a gift. Especially after last night…

Nezumi shook his head roughly, nearly pulling out some strands of hair with his fingers as his heart thumped fast, making him hot. He had never kissed Shion like that before…he wondered how things would begin to change for the two of them, now that he was going to be home for a while. Nezumi stopped in his tracks to try and figure out how he should greet Shion once he got home. Should he kiss him? Should he just walk in like nothing happened? Ah, this was so nerve-wracking! Nezumi had never been in this situation before!

Nezumi grumbled under his breath and continued walking, the extremely cold weather nipping at his nose and fingers. Nezumi looked to the dark, cloud ridden sky, getting the feeling that it might snow again. He decided not to wait around for it to happen, and ran the rest of the way home, dreading what might happen tomorrow morning when Shion found nothing under the tree.

Nezumi returned home, only to find that Shion wasn't waiting for him on the couch like he had thought. Nezumi saw that the tree was miraculously doing better, its leaves a bit greener and not as wilted. He walked over to it and found that the soil was slightly damp. So all it needed was a bit of water?

Nezumi felt a pang of guilt as he looked at the tree's empty base, knowing that he should have been able to find something to put there. He felt his heart beat sadly when he remembered that he would have to face Shion tomorrow morning when Shion had no gift.

Nezumi sighed and lied on the couch, only to have something hard jutting out into his back.

"What the hell?" Nezumi grumbled, and got off the couch to find a book there. It's worn, brown cover nearly blended in with the color of the ratty couch, but the second Nezumi picked up the old book, he knew exactly which book it was.

"What the hell is my yaoi doing out here?" Nezumi wondered aloud as a dark blush crept up his cheeks. Did he somehow leave it here last night? What if Shion had seen it…!

Nezumi could feel his blush flame hotter as he brought the book to the library and put it where it belonged. The shelf was hidden a bit towards the back of the library, so he assumed Shion wouldn't be interested in investigating, but Nezumi noticed the yaoi books scattered on the floor near the door, and he felt the need to crawl in a hole. So Shion had managed to find his secret stash….

After placing the books where they belonged, Nezumi walked over to the bedroom, his embarrassment still evident on his face. He needed to know if Shion had read those books. Nezumi would never forgive himself if Shion had accidently scarred himself for life from reading those hardcore books….

However, the sight that greeted Nezumi in the bedroom nearly took his breath away, and he stepped back, flustered beyond belief. In the soft candlelight, Nezumi could see Shion was sprawled on the bed, completely naked save for the nearly transparent white sheet covering his bottom half. Red eyes met grey ones in silence, and intense tension sprang about, nearly swallowing Nezumi.

"Shion, where are your clothes?" Nezumi asked in a tight voice, his body unwillingly beginning to stir as he made his way to Shion's side. Shion blushed and looked the other way, his own blush beginning to creep up his cheeks. This had seemed like a good idea a few hours ago as he was reading those books, trying to get an idea of what Nezumi would like, but now that the time had come, Shion really didn't think so anymore…

"Um, I wanted to surprise you, Nezumi," Shion murmured, bringing his eyes up to gaze at Nezumi's stunned face. Shion felt kind of bad that he had taken Nezumi off guard like this. Maybe this was a bad idea after all?

"You've been so good to me by giving me all of those gifts, and I had given you nothing in return. So now I'm returning the favor by giving you something," Shion said, trying his best to calm his racing heart. His face felt as if it was on fire, and he knew that his scar was in camouflage with the redness of his face.

Nezumi sucked in a breath, regarding Shion with dark curiosity. "Shion, are you sure you want to do this?" Nezumi asked, his heart racing and his eyes hooded. He didn't dare move from his spot, fearing that this was just a dream. He had these dreams multiple times in the last few weeks, but was never bothered by them. Now that Shion was lying in the bed, naked and waiting for him, Nezumi couldn't help but feel nervous.

"I'm sure," Shion mumbled, and stared at Nezumi intensely, his red eyes sparkling. Despite the awkwardness, Shion, deep down, felt as if this was right. He couldn't help but feel a bit aroused when he read those books, and now that Nezumi was here with him, the urge between his legs grew stronger. For a moment, Shion wondered if Nezumi could see that through the thin sheets, but dismissed the idea as Nezumi leaned in to kiss him. One of Nezumi's hands brushed along Shion's cheek gently before touching his lips softly to Shion's, and he slipped into the bed with Shion, his other hand snaking around Shion's body to hug him close. They continued to kiss, their warm mouths molding together as their eyes began to slip shut, giving in to the ecstasy of simply being near each other.

Nezumi felt as if he was about to burst. All of the feelings that he had kept bottled up inside of him suddenly burst, and with a groan, Nezumi deepened their kiss, unable to control himself.

Their kisses became more heated as Nezumi pushed his tongue into Shion's mouth, making Shion moan and clutch Nezumi closer. Nezumi kissed him lazily, brushing his tongue over Shion's mouth as he brought Shion closer to him, his hand trailing Shion's bare back. His hand found the raised, bumpy edges of Shion's scars, and he trailed a finger over it, eliciting a small gasp from Shion.

Nezumi pulled away from Shion to look him deeply in the eyes. He still felt unsure about this, but when Shion's soft hand brought Nezumi's face back down, Nezumi held nothing back. He kissed Shion with all of his being, pouring out his love for Shion through his kiss. He felt Shion kissing him back with just as much passion, and he moaned softly as his hands began to wander along Shion's warm body. He felt up Shion's naked torso, his mouth never leaving Shion's as Shion groaned from the sensation.

Shion's heart was about to burst. He never felt so much love for Nezumi in his entire life. It was as if all of the feelings he had harbored for the last few days had been unleashed, and Shion kissed Nezumi with all of the passion his amateur body knew. He felt Nezumi trail his fingers along his scar, and he couldn't help but gasp—his scars were ultra-sensitive. Feeling breathless, Shion pushed his mouth away from Nezumi's to breathe, only to have Nezumi begin kissing him down his neck and onto his bare stomach.

An unfamiliar feeling rippled through Shion's body, and he shivered. "Nezumi, I feel funny," Shion murmured when Nezumi began to lick his scars.

"You're turned on," Nezumi mumbled against Shion's skin, and kissed his neck before pulling away to look at Shion.

"Last chance, Shion. If you really don't want to do this, I'll stop. But if we go any further, I don't know if I'll be able to hold myself back. I might even hurt you," Nezumi warned, looking at Shion's red eyes intensely. He'd never done this before, but after overhearing many conversations at the theater, Nezumi had a basic knowledge of what he should do. Shion, unfazed, just nodded.

"Alright," Nezumi sighed, then shucked off his jacket and shirt before resuming kissing Shion. Now that both of their chests were bare, Shion could feel Nezumi's skin move against his own as they kissed, their skin sticking together as both boys began to heat up. Shion slipped his hand to Nezumi's pants, and slowly began to unzip them. Nezumi could feel himself become hard as his pants were gently taken off along with his underwear, and gathering as much gentleness as he could muster, he pushed Shion down onto the bed, getting on top of him.

One word popped into Shion's mind as Nezumi's naked body towered over him: beautiful. Shion had never seen Nezumi naked before, and now that he did, he couldn't help but think that he was just…beautiful.

Nezumi leaned over and grabbed something off of his cluttered nightstand and slathered it onto his fingers.

Shion frowned.

"What is that?" Shion asked as Nezumi returned, and Nezumi nearly chuckled.

"It's lube. I don't want to hurt you, so I'm going to prepare you first," Nezumi said. After reading those books, Shion had a feeling he knew what Nezumi meant, and closed his eyes as Nezumi slid the first finger in. It felt strange, and it hurt a little.

"Nezumi, it feels weird," Shion said as Nezumi moved his finger. Shion could literally feel himself being stretched as Nezumi moved, and he bit his lip at the foreign feeling.

"I know," Nezumi said, and silenced Shion with a heated kiss. Their tongues clashed as Nezumi slid in another finger, and Shion groaned, this time in pleasure. The foreign feeling started to turn into something dark and pleasurable, and Shion could feel his bulge grinding against Nezumi's as Nezumi continued to move his fingers and kiss him passionately. Shion was a bit disappointed when Nezumi pulled out his fingers to get more lube.

This time, however, Nezumi lathered his hard length in lube.

"Are you ready?" Nezumi asked, his breathing ragged as he regarded Shion lustfully. Shion eagerly nodded, feeling a sort of loneliness now that Nezumi's fingers had left him.

Needing no more encouragement, he swiftly placed his cock inside of Shion, and Shion groaned. This feeling was so much different than fingers…this really hurt! It felt as if his insides were going to split open!

Nezumi entered him slowly, giving Shion time to adjust to this new pressure. Nezumi saw the pained look on Shion's face and stopped, struggling to control his urge to pound into the white haired boy as Shion adjusted to the new sensation. After a few moments Shion's hips bucked, and Nezumi began to pound into him.

"Ah…ah! Nezumi!" Shion wailed as Nezumi continued to pound into him, and Shion wrapped his legs around Nezumi, effectively trapping the black-haired boy there. The pain earlier had vanished, and now all Shion could feel was mind-blowing pleasure as Nezumi moved his body on top of him.

Nezumi grabbed Shion's hard length and started pumping, making Shion feel weak with lust and pleasure. He barely had the strength to cry out as he was pleasured on both ends, and it only took a few minutes before he began to feel something hot coil in his lower stomach.

"Nezumi, I-I think I'm gonna—ah!" Shion cried out as he came, his cum splashing all over Nezumi's chest and hands. Nezumi ceased his rough pounding to grin and bring his hands to his lips. He began to lick his hands clean, making Shion blush deeply.

"You taste good," Nezumi whispered in Shion's ear and Shion closed his eyes, mortified, as Nezumi thrust into him more, and it wasn't long before Nezumi gripped Shion's body close and released his seed into the ruby-eyed boy with a soft, barely concealed moan.

Both boys were breathing heavily when they finished, and Nezumi collapsed next to Shion, who looked completely spent. Their sweaty skin glistened in the soft candlelight, and the cold winter air around them cooled them down. Nezumi looked over to Shion, and saw that Shion was exhausted, his eyes fluttering slightly on his flushed cheeks as he tried to stay awake.

Nezumi pulled Shion in for a hug, wrapping his arms around the tired boy. Nezumi kissed Shion's forehead, feeling completely happy as he ran his fingers through Shion's silky white hair.

"Nezumi?" Shion asked sleepily, and Nezumi looked at him, tracing his thumb over his scar.

"Hm?" Nezumi responded, pulling the sheets up to them to wrap Shion and himself. Nezumi could hear the small yet prevalent signs outside of the house that a snow storm had begun, and he didn't want Shion to be cold tonight.

"I love you," Shion said sleepily, and buried his head into Nezumi's chest. Shion felt warm and safe cocooned in Nezumi's arms, and he fought the sleepiness that threatened to overtake him.

Nezumi smiled and patted Shion's hair as he brought his lips to his forehead again and kissed him.

"I love you, too," Nezumi murmured softly, and he could feel Shion smile as he drifted off to sleep. Nezumi stayed awake for a moment longer, just looking at Shion's sleeping form curled around his chest before he too began to sleep.

I hope you enjoyed this late Christmas chapter! Sorry if I made anyone uncomfortable…I'm not all that great at writing yaoi just yet :P

Anywho, I'll upload the final chapter tomorrow. Thanks to all those who faved, followed, and/or reviewed! I hope you are enjoying the story so far, and I hope to see you in the next chapter! :)