The rest of the day turn our to be both worse and better than Shion had expected. Pretending he didn't know anything turned out to be easy. He was plenty stressed and confused enough to convince anyone that things had not improved since the night before. What turned out be difficult was covering for Nezumi during costume fitting day.

"Eve! We need to get your measurements for the palace seamstresses. Can you go with them into the changing room?"

Nezumi's expression was smooth as glass as he looked down from the stage. Shion felt like he had broken out in a sweat.

Wouldn't a fresh wound look a little suspicious on an actor who said they had spent the last twenty-four hours in bed?

Shion stood up

"Are we taking everyone's measurements one at a time?" Shion asked, "Isn't that going to take a long time?"

Ichigan glanced towards Shion.

"Actually a handful of maids are working on it."

"Do they need some help?" Shion asked, "I could take measurements."

Ichigan looked surprised, "Well… the more the merrier, your highness— If you think you are up to it. Do you know what you're doing?"

Shion nodded, "I do."

"All right. Then Eve, go with his highness. Next is…."

Nezumi wandered up to Shion with an amused look on his face. "Are you trying to make yourself look like a pervert?"

Shion's cheek burned, "I'm trying to help you!"

Nezumi grinned, "Well, that's sweet, but I could've made sure that servant didn't talk."

Shion was instantly alarmed.

"Stay away from the maids Nezumi!"

Nezumi had to smother a chuckle.

The two of them went together to the changing area— behind what appeared to be a strung up rug. Shion took a ribbon-like measure and turned to Nezumi.

"Do you know what you're doing, little prince?" Nezumi asked. "Because this is kind of important."

Shion raised his eyebrows. "Of course I know how to take measurement."

Nezumi stared, "Why?"

Shion shrugged. "I learned from my mom. She used to make all my clothes— along with her own and the other kids in my neighborhood."

Nezumi eyes widened for a moment. "I see."

"You're going to have to take off your shirt," Shion confessed after a moment. "The material will change the measurement."

Nezumi nodded and reached for the hem of his shirt, rolling it over his torso and wincing.

"God dammit." He complained. "Stupid arm."

"Don't complain," said Shion mildly, "It could have been a lot worse."

Shion found himself reaching out. Gently taking the bandaged arm in his hand to feel if it was hot from infection, or if it was bleeding again. It didn't appear to be.

"You're going to need to be careful with it," Shion advised, without looking up. "There's only so much I can do."

Nezumi snorted.

Shion looked into Nezumi's face. "What?"

"You're an air head." Nezumi chuckled. "You can only focus on one thing at a time, can't you?"

Shion blinked. "What do you mean?"

Nezumi raised his eyebrows, "Are you supposed to be playing healer right now, Shion?"

Shion blushed and immediately let go of Nezumi.

"Sorry," He murmured trying to hide his blush, "Raise your arms."

Nezumi did.

That was the first time Shion really looked at him. Standing with his shirt off in the dimness. His smooth skin stretched over the lean muscle on his arms and chest, glowing milky like cream.

Shion's blush darkened.

He reached out with gentle fingers, and ran the ribbon beneath Nezumi's arm from his armpit to his wrist. Counting ink marks along the way as he slid his fingers cross them. Then he turned and wrote the number down. He repeated the process with the other arm.

"Your face looks red," The dark haired boy commented.

"Shut up, I'm counting." Shion replied. Nezumi grinned.

Next Shion measured around the widest part of his arm, them around his elbow and then his wrist. After that he measured around his neck— which Nezumi complained was itchy. Shion continued to mark down the numbers.

Measuring the different angles of Nezumi's chest and waist ended up being more difficult. Every time his fingers brushed the skin accidentally Shion would lose count and have to start over. He tried to cover this by acting like the ribbon had slipped in his fingers. Nezumi offered no comment.

It wasn't until after Shion had finished measuring Nezumi's hips that he realized his torment wasn't over.

For a moment Shion kneeled on the floor in silence, wondering what in heaven's name was wrong with him.

"Hey, Shion?"

"Yes?"

"Are you waiting for something?"

"Not particularly."

Shion sighed and looked up at Nezumi, who was looking down at him with his eyebrows raised.

Shion struggled with himself for a moment before he could say the words out loud.

"I need you to take off your pants."

Nezumi cracked up laughing.

"That's what you've been struggling with?" He demanded around his fit. "Good grief, Shion, you are too innocent for you're own good."

Red spread all the way down Shion's neck. "Shut up!" he stood and turned around, rubbing the back of his neck uncomfortably as Nezumi laughed.

"How naked do you want me, Shion?"

Shion felt like his skin might burn off.

"Just your pants is fine!"

Nezumi chuckled and there was the sound of rustling fabric.

"Come on, Shion. We don't have all day."

Shion took a deep breath and turned around.

Nezumi was standing in just his under garments, looking at Shion with an amused expression. Shion was trying to take deep breaths through his nose.

Shion kneeled down on the floor and tried to keep his hand steady as he ran the ribbon from Nezumi's hip to his ankle. He counted slowly and marked the number down.

For a moment Shion was fine, measuring the height and the widths of Nezumi's leg. It wasn't until he had to do the inseam that his cheeks started burning again.

"You're—," Shion swallowed, "You're going to have to… spread your legs a little wider, I'm almost done."

Nezumi snorted. "Are you taking advantage of me?"

Shion could not raise his eyes from the floor, "Just do it!"

Nezumi shifted so he was standing a little wider.

Shion took a deep breath. He raised his fingers to press the ribbon against juncture at the top of Nezumi's leg, smoothing it until hit reached his ankle.

This time Shion tried to count as quickly as possible without screwing up.

"All right, you're done." Shion murmured after he finished recording the number. "You can get dressed now."

Nezumi chuckled as he pulled his clothes on, "You're such a snow flake, Shion. So perfectly uncorrupted."

Shion frowned. "You're horrible. You just like tormenting me."

Shion felt a hand on his shoulder turning him around. He looked back just in time for Nezumi to grab him by the chin.

Shion sucked in a breath as Nezumi leaned toward him, his hand tipping Shion's face up until he was looking into silver-gray eyes.

They danced with mischief.

"Do I?" He asked, his breath brushing over Shion's lips. Shion's eyes widened.

They were so close. Shion could feel Nezumi everywhere around him. Yet they weren't touching, aside from Nezumi's fingers beneath his chin.

Nezumi gave a low, throaty chuckle.

"Maybe you're right."

The he let go of Shion all together and walked out from behind the rug without so much as a glance back.

Shion stood there. Dumb-founded for a moment before a breath that he hadn't realized he'd been holding fell through his lips.

What just happened?

By the end of the night, Shion felt every sleepless hour he'd wracked up over the last few days.

He'd spent dinner in meetings again. This time for the honors of the knights and their families, and by the time they were over, dinner was already broken up and cleared away.

As Shion walked back to his bedroom he wondered if perhaps he'd be able to sleep that night, that is until he walked inside.

"How many nights have you skipped dinner?" Nezumi asked from his lounged position on Shion's bed, book open in his lap. "You're too skinny as it is, you know. You should try to eat more."

Shion blinked in confusion. "What are you doing here?"

Nezumi glanced up at him with a dubious expression. "I thought our lessons were back on." He replied, shifting to sit up. "Do I have it wrong?"

Shion's eyebrows shot up.

"Oh!" He rubbed his eyes, "That's right. I'm sorry. I've had meetings…"

"Life's hard when you're being the king, is it?" Nezumi glanced at him with measured eyes. "Do you want me to leave?"

Shion shook his head. "No. It's our deal. I want to." Shion stepped further inside and shut the door, loosening the collar of his shirt. "So what am I learning today?"

Nezumi held a book up for Shion to see. "I thought we'd finish what we started."

The book was Romeo and Juliet.

"Oh," Shion fought off a blush. "All right. Well where were we?"

Nezumi slid to the edge of the bed. "Well, I thought we'd start working with body language. I told you to try to understand what someone is feeling when you read their lines. Now I want you to try your best to show me what you think they are feeling, and then we'll see where you need the most help."

Shion tilted his head. "I don't understand."

Nezumi sighed, "We're going to act out the scenes. Loosely, I mean. Just work on your expressions and how you're standing. Try to put some inflection in the lines you're saying."

Shion let out a breath through his nose. "All right…"

"Try to have some confidence," Nezumi suggested. "It will help. And watch me, one of an actor's greatest assets is playing off the performance of another actor."

Shion nodded, "Okay."

He and Nezumi stood across from each other at the foot of Shion's bed as Shion took the book. He opened it and began scanning the pages.

"What scene?"

"Doesn't matter. Preferably one with only two people talking."

Shion nodded and started searching.

"There is only two people speaking here, but I don't understand this scene."

"What is it?" Nezumi took the book and scanned over it. He snorted.

"Oh, of course. It's the bed scene. Perhaps not the easiest one to practice, although we do have the props."

Shion blushed, "What?"

Nezumi chuckled, "This is the morning after Romeo "said goodbye" to Juliet. They are still lying in bed while they are talking."

Shion flushed, catching the hint from Nezumi's tone about what he must be talking about. "Oh. Well there's got to be another scene. I'll keep looking."

Nezumi grinned wickedly, "No. It's all right. You might be able to relate to this one."

Shion looked up just as Nezumi's expression changed into something different. Something searching. "Would you have begged me like this? If you had woken up before I left, when we were kids?"

Shion's eyes widened. Suddenly the scene seemed different to him. He pictured waking to Nezumi lying next to him, knowing that he going to leave… If Shion could have asked him to stay…

Shion looked down.

Nezumi startled. "Shion?"

"All right." Shion said after a moment. "But maybe you should be Romeo this time."

Nezumi hesitated, "You want to try it?"

Shion nodded.

"Then…" Nezumi seemed unsure of himself. "Sit down on the bed, I suppose."

Shion moved, sitting on the bed and sliding until he was resting against the pillows. He looked at Nezumi.

Nezumi was looking at him strangely— only for a moment before kicking off his boots and moving to sit next to him. He offered Shion the book.

"You want to read for Juliet this time?"

Shion nodded.

"Then you start."

Shion read the line over before clearing his throat.

"Wilt thou be gone? It is not yet near day. It was the nightingale, and not the lark that pierced the fearful hollow of thine ear. Nightly she sings on yon pomegranate tree. Believe me, love, it was the nightingale."

Shion wrinkled his nose, "Hold on, what's she talking about?"

Nezumi chuckled, "I could tell you didn't get that one. She's trying to convince Romeo it isn't morning yet so that he doesn't have to leave."

"Oh," Shion read it over again with that in mind. "I see."

"Do you want to try that again?"

Shion flushed.

He turned to look at Nezumi in the eyes. Holding in his mind the idea that he was about to leave, to climb out the window like when they were kids and he may never see him again. He took a breath.

"Wilt thou be gone?" He asked feeling the rise of desperation in the pit of his stomach, "It is not yet near day. It was the nightingale, and not the lark that pierced the fearful hollow of thine ear. Nightly she sings on yon pomegranate tree. Believe me, love, it was the nightingale."

Nezumi's eyes widened, but he responded.

"It was the lark, the herald of the morn, no nightingale. Look, love, what envious streaks do lace the severing clouds in yonder east. Night's candles are burnt out, and jocund day stands tiptoe on the misty mountain tops. I must be gone and live, or stay and die."

Shion felt a jolt in his stomach. Die?

"Yon light is not daylight, I know it, I." Shion's voice was full of real pleading now. Without thinking he reached out and grabbed Nezumi by the wrist. Nezumi's eyes flashed to the gesture and widened in shock. "It is some meteor that the sun exhales to be to thee this night a torchbearer, and light thee on thy way to Mantua. Therefore stay yet. Thou need'st not to be gone."

Nezumi took a beat to respond. His eyes took on a look that Shion had begun to recognize. Nezumi used it a lot when he called Shion a child, right before he tried to teach Shion a lesson. But when he spoke he sounded tender. "Let me be ta'en. Let me be put to death. I am content, so thou wilt have it so. I'll say yon grey is not the morning's eye. 'Tis but the pale reflex of Cynthia's brow. Nor that is not the lark, whose notes do beat the vaulty heaven so high above our heads. I have more care to stay than will to go. Come, death, and welcome! Juliet wills it so.—How is 't, my soul? Let's talk. It is not day."

Shion's eyes widened. He heard in Nezumi's words, the emphasis he placed on them. Shion felt each word like Nezumi was really asking him, asking if he would rather Nezumi stay and die, than leave and live.

Shion felt tears trying to sting his eyes.

Shion choked, "I'm sorry," He turned away from Nezumi. "I… umm…"

"You were doing fine," Nezumi noted, "You do seem a little panicked, though. I suppose Juliet would be afraid but—,"

Shion was only half listening to Nezumi's critique. He stared at his bed, his mind feeling like it was try to work through mud.

If it came down staying close to Nezumi… or keeping Nezumi alive…

Shion hadn't been able to say the words he need to say; telling him to leave. Shion couldn't imagine saying that, saying those words to Nezumi and meaning them. He didn't understand it.

What was the difference between him and Juliet? That she could say to go and he couldn't. Was it that Juliet believed she would see Romeo again? That she'd hear from him? Was she confident in that, somehow, in a way that Shion wasn't?

"Shion?"

Shion blinked out of his trance and turned to look at Nezumi who was frowning at him.

"Where's your head?" Nezumi asked.

Shion stared.

"Nowhere, I'm sorry." he said, trying to shake himself out of it, "I haven't been sleeping enough lately."

Nezumi frowned, "Good grief, Shion. Skipping sleep, skipping meals. You'll be lucky if you live long enough to see your father return from his hunt."

Shion laughed a little breathlessly, "You're probably right."

"Maybe we should cut tonight's lesson short then," Nezumi suggested.

"We can finish the scene," Shion insisted. "It's not much longer anyway."

Nezumi eyes became shaded, "You sure?"

Shion nodded, "Of course," he read over his line again and took a breath to speak.

"It is, it is. Hie hence! Be gone, away! It is the lark that sings so out of tune, straining harsh discords and unpleasing sharps. Some say the lark makes sweet division. This doth not so, for she divideth us. Some say the lark and loathèd toad change eyes. Oh, now I would they had changed voices too, since arm from arm that voice doth us affray, hunting thee hence with hunt's-up to the day. O, now be gone. More light and light it grows."

Nezumi's eyes darkened, "More light and light, more dark and dark our woes!"

There was something strange about the way he said it. Low and too inflectionless. It made Shion's stomach flip but he ignored it. He looked back at the page.

"What about the nurse's lines?"

Nezumi's eyes were unyielding. "Skip them."

Shion read over the next line.

"Then the window lets day in, and life goes out the window!"

Nezumi's hand reached up and wrapped around the side of Shion's cheek. Shion's eyes widen as his face lifted to look into Nezumi's.

Nezumi's eyes were both shaded and gleaming all at once.

"Farewell, farewell!" he whispered, his voice low and touchingly soft against Shion's lips; parted in surprise. "Give me one kiss, and I'll go down."

Shion's stomach flipped, "Nezumi… wait…"

"What's the matter, Shion?" Nezumi asked, his thumb skimming over Shion's scar. "Scared to kiss me?"

Shion frowned, "I just… I don't want it to be like this."

Nezumi raised an eyebrow, "What?"

Shion's eyes were pleading. "I don't know how it is for you Nezumi, but to me… I want a kiss to still mean something. I haven't had enough of them to give up on that."

"Oh?" Nezumi tilted his head. He had not moved back an inch. "And what is it you want a kiss to mean?"

Shion eyebrows pulled together.

"I don't know," he whispered. "I guess I want the person kissing me to do it because they love me."

Nezumi smiled, "Isn't that asking an awful lot from one kiss? Love is quite a weighty term, little prince."

Shion thought about it. "Maybe," he murmured. "But then… I hope it would still be about me. That they'd do it because it could mean that… someday…. there will be love behind it."

Nezumi raised an eyebrow, "What do you mean, like a promise?"

Shion smiled, "Yes. A kiss should be like a promise between two people."

"A promise that they will love each other someday?" Nezumi asked.

Shion's eyes softened, "Just that they'll try."

"Hmm…" Nezumi hummed, looking into Shion's eyes and sliding his thumb along his scar, back and forth. "I think I can agree to that."

And then Nezumi was kissing him.

For a moment Shion didn't know what had happened. His mind seem to spin without an axis for a few beats of his heart before he reached out and steadied himself by gripping Nezumi's shirt. He closed his eyes.

Nezumi's hand slid around the back of Shion's neck. Finding it's way to Shion's hair, sliding the soft downy strands between his fingers.

Shion sighed into the kiss. Moving his lips timidly in response to Nezumi's and reaching up one hand to curve around the side of the darker boy's neck.

Nezumi smiled. The next thing Shion knew, he was barring him back against the bed. Nezumi curving over him, and his dark hair falling over Shion's face to tickle his cheeks.

They broke for air.

"Nezumi," Shion panted, his eyes fluttering open.

"You responded," Nezumi noted breathlessly, leaning back just to grin down at Shion. His hand moved down to trace where Shion's scar wrapped around his neck. Shion trembled. "Looks like you just promised to try and love me."

Shion's eyes widened.

Nezumi's smile was sharp, "Didn't think about that, huh?"

Shion shook his head. "Its not that."

Nezumi lowered his eyelids, "Then what?"

Shion looked into Nezumi's eyes, and at the wealth of emotion Nezumi found in his expression made him go pale.

"Don't say anything," he said and his lips captured Shion's again.

Nezumi had shifted. Now he was lying over Shion, only inches between them, all the way down their bodies.

One of Nezumi's legs found it's way between Shion's, and for some reason the thought made Shion's skin heat and he started to squirm.

"I feel hot," Shion panted when they parted for air again, feeling a little dizzy. Nezumi laughed.

"Already? You really are innocent aren't you?" Nezumi looked at him with hooded eyes.

Shion flushed, "What do you mean?"

Nezumi rolled his eyes, "Sometimes you're too air headed even to tease." he sighed mournfully. "Maybe I should just let you get some sleep."

Nezumi started to move.

Shion's hand shot out and grabbed his shoulder. "Wait!"

Nezumi stopped and looked at him.

Shion froze. He wasn't sure what it was… but he had this terrible thought that if Nezumi left now…. tomorrow it would be like none of this had ever happened, and it scared him.

He looked Nezumi in the eyes. "Can't you stay?"

Nezumi didn't look like he was getting enough air.

"Shion… you aren't ready for…" Nezumi choked on his words.

Shion blinked, "What do you mean? You've stayed with me before."

Nezumi looked down at him again in surprise. "You want me to stay… like then?"

Shion tilted his head, "Yes."

Nezumi's coloring started to change and he turned his head away.

"Such an air head." He grumbled.

Shion frowned, "Does that mean you won't stay?"

Nezumi reached up to rub the back of his neck. He sighed.

"Fine. I guess I can stay."

Shion smiled hugely.

Nezumi caught one look of it and flicked Shion on the forehead.

"Don't look at me like that, idiot," he said and moved off of Shion to his own side of the bed.

Shion kneaded his forehead. "Ow, what do you mean? Why not?"

"Just don't."

Nezumi stood up, "I'll be back in a minute. I don't want have to borrow your night clothes again. I wear dresses more often then is healthy as it is."

Shion rolled his eyes. "All right," he agreed, standing up and heading toward his closet to get ready for bed. Nezumi exited into the hall.

Shion dressed in his night clothes and then washed up. When he came back, he found Nezumi lounging silently on his bed, dressed in only a soft looking pair of trousers and without a shirt.

Shion fought hard not to blush as Nezumi looked up.

"You do look thin," Nezumi commented, his eyes roaming over Shion from head to toe. "If you don't start eating more you're going to be all skin and bones."

This time Shion did flush.

"Shut up," He grumbled walking over to the bed and pulling back the covers. Nezumi helped him, and then the two of them slid in beside each other.

Shion blew out the light, and as darkness settled over the two of them he felt an electricity that climbed up and down his spine.

His mind filled with the feeling of Nezumi's lips, of his hand in his hair. Shion's body seemed to ache with the desire to roll over and pull Nezumi to him, until the two of them were touching again. The thought made his heart jump speeds inside his chest.

"You're awfully tense." Nezumi said after a while. "Are you all right?"

Shion felt a blush run hot all the way down his neck.

"Nezumi…" Shion's voice was soft and nervous. "About what happened…"

"Is that what's bothering you?" Nezumi's voice had some humor in it. "What's worrying you about it?"

Shion's jaw tensed.

Finally he asked, "Is it going to keep happening?"

There was silence.

Finally Nezumi chuckled.

"I didn't see that question coming." He murmured, "Do you want it to?"

Shion wasn't sure if his temperature just jumped or if his entire body was blushing now.

"Yes."

There was more silence following this statement. And for a moment Shion worried Nezumi might be angry with him, until he felt the bed shift as Nezumi moved toward him.

Shion rolled onto his back so he could turn his head and look at Nezumi. He found him lying extremely close, his eyes gleaming in the darkness as he reached out to run the tips of his fingers along Shion's cheek.

Nezumi searched his eyes. "I'm not sure you realize what you're getting yourself into, Shion."

Shion's face softened. "I just want to be close to you."

Nezumi's eyelids lowered.

"Yes," he said. "That's exactly what I mean."

Then he leaned in and pressed his lips to Shion's.

It was different this time than before. This kiss was slow. It felt to Shion like he was touching a sheet of smooth glass, laid over a low flame; where the others had been like shoving his hand in the fire.

When they parted Nezumi looked at him, and his eyes were dark and full of something hungry.

"It might keep happening." Nezumi answered finally, and his lips curving up into a smile. "I guess you're just going to have to wait and see."

Shion looked back at him. Their eyes meeting in the dark. Almost without his own permission, Shion strained forward. His hands delving into Nezumi's black-slik hair and pulling him back.

Their mouths met again, and the glass shattered, fire raging up between them with a ferocity.

Shion made a soft noise and Nezumi seemed urged forward.

He slid, pulling Shion against him. Their bodies met from the bottom of their stomachs down to where their legs twisted together under the sheets.

Nezumi sighed, and his hand flattened against Shion's back while the other traced the side of his throat. He found his scar again and made Shion shiver.

"Sensitive?" Nezumi breathed when their lips parted for just a moment. "Interesting."

Nezumi raised a hand to run his thumb over Shion's bottom lip.

"Open your mouth."

Shion blinked but obeyed and Nezumi came back to him, his tongue slipping into Shion's mouth.

Shion moaned and Nezumi shook with laughter as he ran his tongue along Shion's making him jerk.

Nezumi pulled away, panting.

"So innocent." he said, a smile in his voice.

Shion looked into the bright silver of Nezumi's eyes, and Nezumi brushed his thumb over his scar again.

He guided Shion to roll over, his back to Nezumi, and wrapped his arm around Shion's waist so that his hand was resting over his stomach. He pulled Shion's back against Nezumi's bare chest.

"Goodnight, little prince." Nezumi breathed in his ear, and Shion trembled.

"Goodnight, Nezumi."