Shion's hands shook as he balled them into fists at his side, and lowered his head.
Life always comes down to moments like this…
Shion trembled. His shoulders rising and falling as he took a deep breath.
Always forcing people…
"I…"
To give up…
"Your majesty…"
On foolish promises.
Shion raised his head. Nezumi couldn't see his face, but his shoulders straightened.
"I'm sorry,"
Nezumi closed his eyes.
~One Day Previous~
Nezumi desperately needed to re-think his life choices.
"What the hell am I doing?" He demanded of himself when he was alone in his bedroom after excusing himself to go get some clothes. He flung himself onto his bed with his head in his hands.
"I'm acting like a common whore! Have I completely lost my mind?" he let out a full breath.
He'd never expected what had happened so far that night. He'd started out just wanting to tease Shion a bit, but he hadn't anticipated how he'd react to the temptation.
And he'd been so willing, Nezumi thought, shaking his head. Sure, the kid had been embarrassed but Nezumi had expected him to sprint out of the room long before he'd ever see the kid naked and straddling–
Nezumi broke off that thought before it progressed any further and pushed his hands into his eyes until he saw white.
"What am I doing?"
Finally when Nezumi's thoughts had settled he pushed himself off his bed and started looking for clothes. When he'd dressed himself from the hips down he paused.
He'd been teasing Shion when he'd said he'd leave his shirt off– but the kid had surely called his bluff. Nezumi didn't really mind shirtless, but the atmosphere that deal created might just be more than he needed right now.
Nezumi sighed, reaching up to run a hand through his hair.
He paused.
"I like your hair like that"
Nezumi groaned as he flushed.
"What the hell is wrong with me?"
Maybe it was just how long it had been– he thought– since the last time he'd been with someone just because he wanted to. In fact… Nezumi wasn't sure he'd ever been with someone without an ulterior reason. Sure, he had the drive, but he'd always been firmly in control of it. Rarely had his mind not been on other things.
Until now…
"Why him?" Nezumi wanted to know, his eyes shifting towards the door as if Shion stood beyond it. "Why that kid?"
Nezumi pictured Shion's face almost without meaning to. Shion's big round eyes, striking red, and fluffy white hair like some smiling bunny.
Nezumi had never had a weakness for cute things. But Shion…
Nezumi felt a tug in his chest. He sighed, narrowing his eyes at the floor.
"What am I doing?"
"Nezumi? What's wrong?" Shion asked as soon as the dark haired actor slipped back into his room from the hall.
Nezumi looked up at him in surprise.
Dammit, how does he see EVERYTHING.
"Nothing," Nezumi replied coolly, "Just contemplating the complete butchering of precious works I'm about to subject myself too."
Shion scowled at him. "You're the teacher! Doesn't it say something bad about you if I'm not improving?"
Nezumi shrugged, "There's little to be done about a complete lack of talent."
A pillow sailed past Nezumi's head.
He chuckled. "Don't be so sensitive. So are you ready to get started now?"
"Sure," Shion replied, perking up immediately. Like a bunny…. Nezumi eyebrows drooped.
"Can we try Macbeth?" Shion asked a moment later. "I want to know what it's about."
"It's going to make things a lot more difficult if you don't know what's going on." Nezumi pointed out, feeling a chill on his back. Maybe he really should have worn a shirt.
Shion blinked, "Oh I guess that's true. What should we do then?"
Nezumi fought back the millions of inappropriate responses to that question that flooded his mind.
He cleared his throat. "Let me think…"
Nezumi sat down on the bed, folding his ankles together and resting on his arms stretched out behind him. He looked at the ceiling as he thought, but he could feel Shion's eyes on him the whole time.
"Do you have anything we can write on?"
"Huh?" Shion blinked, "yeah."
"Take it out and start making a list."
Shion moved to a desk near his bookshelves pulling out a parchment and ink.
"A list of what?"
"Every emotion you can think of, but space them out and you can stop when you reach the bottom of the page"
Shion thought for a moment and then slowly started writing.
"Okay, I'm done." Shion said a few moments later.
Nezumi sat up. "Hand it over."
Shion gave it to him, and Nezumi didn't even look at it closely before he started slowly tearing it into strips.
Shion startled, "What are you doing?"
Nezumi let the curls of paper rain down on the bed and stirred a hand through them to mix them up. Then he looked at Shion and waved a hand over the mess. "Pick one."
Shion blinked.
He came slowly over to stare at the shredded paper with a curious tilt to his head. Finally he reached out and took one of them.
"Don't tell me what it says, but read it to yourself." Nezumi instructed, and Shion smoothed the strip of parchment through his fingers.
"Okay."
"Now act it out,"
Shion's head snapped up. "What?"
"Act it out. Try to show me, without words, what emotion it is. If you do it right, guessing it should be effortless. If I can't tell what it is, you're doing it wrong and you have to keep going until you get it right."
Shion looked horrified.
"But–,"
"Are you questioning the teacher?" Nezumi accused, smiling lazily like a cat at a trapped mouse. Shion made a face.
"Is the emotion "Kill me now"?"
"No."
"Then stop screwing around."
Shion sighed.
"All right," Shion took a breath, curling his hand around the scrap of paper. "I'll do my best."
Nezumi watched carefully and Shion's expression and posture convulsed fruitlessly for a few moments.
Nezumi raised an eyebrow.
"Are you having stomach pains?"
"NO!"
"Then this is pathetic."
Shion huffed grumpily.
"Come on, Shion." Nezumi encouraged, "You wrote these emotions down. You had to have had them before. Think back to that time and try to draw from experience."
Shion blinked at that advice and then seemed to think for a moment.
Eventually, his eyebrows seemed to relax against his face, and his eyes seemed open and watery. His lips drooped.
"Are you sad?"
Shion beamed, "Yes!"
Nezumi chuckled, "Way to break character. We'll have to work on that next."
Shion blushed.
"Okay pick another," Nezumi ordered, pulling his legs up on the bed and sitting cross legged with his chin resting on his hand against his knee.
Shion took another paper.
He stood there for a moment looking uncertain, then finally inspiration struck his face and he closed his eyes tightly, seeming to close in on himself like he was trying to cover himself with his arms.
Nezumi stared in surprise, and tried not to notice what it did to the coverage of his robe across his long pale legs.
"Are you…" Nezumi considered for a moment, "Afraid?"
Shion immediately blushed when Nezumi said that, and suddenly the stance and expression were one he recognized.
"Oh, you're embarrassed!"
"Yeah," Shion admitted, finally releasing the stance. Nezumi smiled.
"Very good, now onto the next one."
At the next one Shion picked, the white haired balked and his entire face went red.
"What is it?"
"Nothing… I think I might just pick a different–,"
"Don't cheat!" Nezumi snapped, "What's wrong? You wrote the list, what's so embarrassing?"
Shion's eyes went to Nezumi's face, flushed like a ruby, and he was almost simultaneously looking anywhere else.
Nezumi frowned.
"Shion, what are you so afraid of?"
"I just… I don't think I can do it."
"Why not?"
Shion bit his lip and shifted uncomfortably.
"Is it an emotion you've felt before or not?"
Shion's eyes widened sharply, and he looked a little like he couldn't breath.
He looked at Nezumi and his eyebrows drew back towards his hair his eyes growing impossibly wider as his mouth pressed in a tight line.
Then he closed his eyes and shook his head violently.
Nezumi dropped his arms, "What the hell, Shion?"
"I don't know." Shion said, abruptly taking the slip of paper between his fingers and tearing it up into minuscule pieces until it was all but a fine powder on the floor.
Nezumi stared on in amused shock.
"Wow. Okay, now you're really not getting out of this."
Shion locked into place like a startled deer.
Nezumi grinned, "What was on the paper Shion?"
Shion looked up in terror and started backing away. "Nothing."
"Oh?" Nezumi stood up and Shion nearly stumbled over backwards."You sure made a big fuss over nothing."
Shion shook his head, his hair flying around fluffily, having finally dried. "Nezumi don't."
Nezumi's eyes narrowed as his lips spread into a slow smile; like water running down a hill. Slowly… but with a gaining speed. "Shion…"
"Please sit back down," The prince pleaded, stumbling away. Eventually though, his back hit the book shelf and his face broke into horrible shock.
Nezumi was about a foot and half away.
"Shion…" Nezumi's tone held a warning.
Shion flinched. "Please don't…"
Nezumi's eyes narrowed.
He converged on Shion, until they were standing a few inches from each other and Nezumi looking down on Shion's frightened face.
Nezumi reached out and grabbed the belt of Shion's robe.
Shion's eyes widened, "What are you doing?"
Nezumi grinned wickedly.
"Tell me what it said, Shion, or else…" Nezumi tugged on the belt, and it loosened slightly around the prince's waist.
Shion paled.
"Nezumi… please I–,"
Tug.
Shion sucked in a breath, "Nezumi!"
Tug.
"Stop!" Shion's cheeks were crimson.
Tug.
The rob had split open down to inches above Shion's hips. The prince squeezed his eyes shut. If Nezumi gave just one more tug… Maybe two…
Tug.
The robe was hanging on a hair's breath.
"All right!" Shion covered his face with his hands, his eyes still shut tightly.
Nezumi stopped. "All right?"
Shion peered out from between his fingers.
"thpablesawub," Shion grumbled around his palms.
"What?"
"The paper said love!" Shion looked sideways at the ground as he gathered up the edges of his robe and pulled it closed again.
Nezumi stared blankly.
"Love as an emotion?" Nezumi asked his eyelids lowered. He crossed his arms. "And you didn't know how to show that, is that it?"
Shion looked up at him, his eyes half hiding behind his hair and his cheeks still brilliant scarlet. He glanced at Nezumi, almost angrily and then quickly away. "Whatever, can we just move on please?"
"Well that's hardly sporting," Nezumi criticized, "You're not even going to try?"
Shion suddenly fumed. "You really want me to try?"
Nezumi grinned, "Of course."
And that's when Shion threw himself at him.
For the briefest moment, Nezumi thought Shion might have gotten so angry he was actually trying to attack him, but instead– soft, sloppy lips were suddenly pressed flush against Nezumi's.
Nezumi's eyes flew wide.
At first the kiss felt stiff and unyielding like Shion was merely throwing it in Nezumi's face, but after a moment Shion sort of fell against him, and his hands, that had been griping the sides of Nezumi's face, slid down around his neck.
Dammit. Nezumi thought, as the kiss softened. He could feel all the earnestness in Shion's body pour through into the kiss and it made Nezumi's throat feel like it was swelling shut.
Shion… don't get this attached to me.
Nezumi grabbed Shion's shoulders and pushed him back slightly.
Nezumi's eyes were clouded. When Shion's eyes blinked open, Nezumi watched a gleam of happiness that had formed in them slowly drain away as he took in Nezumi's expression.
Shion stepped back. "Nezumi…?"
Nezumi put the back of his hand to his own mouth and looked away."I have to go." he started to turn.
Shion snatched his hand.
Nezumi almost jerked it away, but when he turned back Shion's expression stopped him.
He was looking down, his white hair falling over his eyes so that they were invisible and his body was locked in a tension that was prepared to violently shatter at any moment.
"Nezumi," Shion murmured, "You're such a liar."
Nezumi's eyebrow slanted inward, and fury bloomed in his chest. "Excuse me?"
Shion looked up at him, and his eyes were blazing like fires. Nezumi was momentarily taken aback by the violence of them. "YOU'RE A LIAR!"
Nezumi turned fully to look at him. "What in the hell–,"
"Let me in!" Shion shouted, shoving Nezumi hard in the chest and causing him to slightly stumble back. "You said I could have you, that you'd TRY. But you keep running away!"
Nezumi's eyes widened.
"What did you think I was asking for before?" Shion demanded, "Do you think I just wanted something physical from you? Because that's not it! I wouldn't care if you never touched me, as long as I felt you let me close to you. But instead I feel like you're kissing me through stone! And the moment I feel like I've chipped at it, you push me away."
Nezumi jerked backwards.
"I told you," Shion continued, tears welling in his eyes. "I told before that if you just wanted to play with me then you could stay away. I wouldn't have done any of this, except that I saw it! I saw something in the way you acted towards me. I thought… I thought…" Shion stuttered.
Nezumi looked away and Shion took a deep breath.
"I love you."
Nezumi felt like something had struck him the chest.
"Shut up!" Nezumi jerked violently away, turning his back on Shion and resting his forehead in the palm of his hand.
"I told you what this relationship is, Shion!" Nezumi raved, clutching his head like it hurt. "I told you it was going to end and you had to be able to let me go when it did. You're not keeping a safe enough distance–,"
"I didn't agree to this so I could maintain a safe distance until you were gone." Shion said, his voice breaking slightly in places. "I agreed so that I could love you as closely as possible while you were here."
Nezumi gritted his teeth until it hurt.
"That's idiotic," Nezumi breathed, "That's like jumping off a cliff so you can feel like your flying until you hit the ground."
Shion sort of laughed
"Yeah," he sighed, the steam seeming to go out of him with the words. He closed his eyes. "I guess it is."
"I guess I understand now," Shion said eventually, opening his eyes again and looking at Nezumi with determination. "I can't make you see things the way I do. So if you don't want to let me any closer…"
"You're ending it?" Nezumi gave a hard laugh. "I should have known you couldn't handle–,"
"Of course not!" Shion sounded affronted. "That'd be doing the opposite of what I was just saying."
Nezumi looked back at him in surprise. "Then what?"
Shion smiled, "I'm just going to have to accept that it's just me."
Nezumi stared blankly, "What do you mean?"
"I'm going to love you the way that I want to," Shion said, "And you can maintain you're safe distance on your own."
Nezumi glared, "You know that's a bad idea."
Shion shook his head."I know that if you are given only one chance at something, you don't waste it to protect yourself."
Nezumi met Shion's eyes. Shion's expression was warmth, and determination. It was the type of expression that burned like sunlight, and it made Nezumi feel like the walls had started to close in around him.
What am I doing?
"I made a mistake," Nezumi said, running a hand over his face, and turning around to leave.
"What was your mistake, Nezumi?" Shion's voice was steady, and gentle. But it pierced through Nezumi's ears like a knife.
Nezumi stood there for a long moment, and the sound of the lamps flickering could be heard in the silence. And then Nezumi walked towards the door.
"Don't leave," Shion called.
Nezumi shut his eyes. "I can't do this, Shion." his hand was poised on the door.
"Nothing has to change." Shion whispered. "It's my choice."
"Your choices don't only affect you." Nezumi snapped, and then he strode out into the hall and slammed the door shut behind him.
Nezumi just wanted to break things.
He stormed around his room, ravaging everything until it was on the floor or in pieces.
His entire body shook.
"I love you."
Nezumi wanted to scream.
How had this happened? How had he let this happen? He'd had it right in the beginning, hadn't he? He'd planned to stay away from him, to act like strangers. Why hadn't he just stuck to that?
"I wasn't saying that, I think you're amazing."
"Acting is your profession. I'll hire you."
That's right. Nezumi closed his eyes. You gave me an excuse.
Nezumi dug his fingers into his hair. He was in the worst possible position now. In too deep to feel nothing, out too far to be happy. It was like being trapped on the side of a cliff face. He could fall, or he could climb, but he couldn't stay where he was anymore.
Nezumi acknowledge the fact that he had to choose. That he could choose. But that only seemed to paralyze him.
Choosing to jump with Shion scared him unexplainably, and he wondered if he could truly do it if he tried. But leaving Shion completely…
There was something that Nezumi hadn't let himself look at too closely at.
When he had been in a fight with Shion– before he left to stop the knights from reaching the prison– he had convinced himself that he could forget about everything else, and focus on the revenge that he had set out for.
But he regretted yelling at Shion, he regretted being weak enough that he couldn't stop himself from going to see him before he left. And when he left it had only gotten worse.
There was a moment; when Nezumi reached the castle–bloody from his own wounds and the wounds of the others– that he almost didn't have strength to try anymore. Looking up at that stone building he had considered that he would just die and that would be a peaceful end to all of it.
The only thing that had stopped him was Shion.
He hadn't wanted to die with the only person who genuinely cared about him hating him. That had been the only thought in his head. Then, when he finally got inside–when he had thought it might be too late for him anyway– Shion had come and saved him again.
"That's why I fell in this deep," Nezumi said, only to himself. "Shion, what are you doing to me?"
Nezumi sat down on his bed. Leaning back, he stared up at the ceiling in questioning silence, telling himself only one thing.
I could leave. I could go now before things get any worse. Before it gets any harder to go. I could disappear out a window, into the night, and all of it would end. I would never come back, and with enough time, maybe I would forget.
Nezumi thought that, he thought it over and over, and he pictured it to himself a hundred different times.
He would be lying if he said part of him didn't burn to do it. He'd also be lying if he said that there wasn't a moment where he had convinced himself he was going to do it. But that didn't scare him.
What scared him, was what he felt moment he moved to go.
It felt like something in his chest caved in, and a deep, hollow pit yawned open inside of him.
"Shit," Nezumi cursed, refusing to cry or give anything but anger as he felt how much of himself would be dragged back here if he tried to leave. He pressed the back of his hand to his mouth. "Shit."
He stood up, pacing over to his window and stopping to rest with his hand against the sill, letting the cool glass rest against his forehead, as he stared out the window into the starry night.
Nezumi had always been a bit of a caged bird. He longed for the distant, the restless, and the changing. He never liked staying put for very long. Looking out the window had always been one of his habits; like he was always half gone from where ever he was now.
This time, though, when Nezumi looked out the window it was different. His heart started to beat quickly, in an anxious, panicked way. Like the vast world had become something he was afraid of.
Nezumi sucked in a breath. How had he not noticed this sooner?
Nezumi looked down.
Ah, that's right, he thought, he'd been looking out the window so much less…. lately.
Nezumi pressed his hands to the sides of his head and shook.
What am I going to do? He wondered desperately.
How did I let myself become attached… to such hopeless things.
Shion woke up to the feeling of his bed shifting beneath him and he stiffened.
He was just about to gasp as he turned over to look behind him, but a pale, long-fingered hand reached out cover his mouth before he could make a sound.
Shion looked up, seeing ink black hair and steel colored eyes staring back at him through the dark. He blinked.
Nezumi was sitting beside him on the bed, his face grave as he looked at Shion– measuring his reaction for a few moments before finally releasing his mouth and leaning back so that he could lay down beside Shion on the bed.
For a long time there was silence. Nezumi staring at the ceiling and Shion staring at him while the two of them waited for Nezumi to gather his thoughts.
Finally the dark haired actor sighed.
"This doesn't mean I agree with what you said." Nezumi said eventually, still staring straight up instead of at the boy beside him.
Shion smiled gently, and scooted over until he could lay his head against Nezumi's chest, and wrap an arm around the taller boy's waist.
Shion yawned tiredly and closed his eyes. "I know."
A few long moments passed in the sleeping quiet, and Shion began to drift. He was almost half asleep already when he felt Nezumi move beneath him, and an arm came around the rest against Shion's back, Nezumi's hand smoothing over the back of the younger boy's snow white hair.
Nezumi breath seemed to tremble as he let it out all at once. "I don't know what I'm doing anymore, Shion."
"It's okay," Shion murmured sleepily, his soft hand petting over the smooth, planes of Nezumi's stomach. The muscles tightened under his touch. "We can figure it out together."
Nezumi was quiet in response to that, but Shion was already too close to sleep to notice. So instead he reached for Nezumi's free hand and pulled it closer to him, twining their fingers together on top of Nezumi's torso.
"Goodnight Nezumi," Shion slurred as everything around him began to slip away into oblivion.
Nezumi woke up to the sound of Shion's bedroom door slamming open.
"SHION!"
A voice roared so loud it stung against Nezumi's drowsy ears. Even still, Nezumi recognized it, and his blood froze in his veins.
Fuck.
Shion jolted wake, sitting up like a startled rabbit just in time to see King Rikiga storm into the room and turn his eyes on the two boys who were lying together in Shion's bed.
"What in the–?" Rikiga's eyes hardened fast as they took in the scene before him; Shion frightened and pajama clad with Nezumi lying beside him lacking a shirt.
Nezumi was sure it was an entertaining picture– however mislead– that formed in the kings mind as he tried to guess at what events had lead to the moment he was witnessing.
The king's face turned entirely red, and the veins popped out of his skull.
"Shion, Get. Dressed. And meet me in the throne room. You have a lot of explaining to do."
Shion had scrambled to get ready and go meet his father. He'd apologized to Nezumi–nearly three dozen times– but Nezumi had said next to nothing. He wasn't particularly upset about being caught in Shion's bed.
His mind had moved onto to a much different worry.
What was the king going to do to the two of them now?
After Shion ran off to the meeting, Nezumi pretended he was going to stay behind, but instead he got dressed and quickly snuck after Shion down the hall.
He found a place outside the throne room where he could hide and still listen, so he hunkered down and strained to hear to the king's voice in the other room.
"I left you one responsibility! One! That message what the most important thing you had to worry about, and not only was it stolen, but you have done nothing to remedy the situation besides getting my knights killed! And what do I discover you've been doing in the meantime? Honestly there aren't any words!"
"Do you have no inkling?" The king continued, "No Idea, of what is expected of a ruler? Do you have no idea the magnitude of what you've done? What it is you've just thrown away?"
"I'm so sorry that I have upset you," Shion replied, and his voice was surprisingly even for the situation.
"Sorry you upset me? You should be sorry you were born! Do you know what I could do to you now? What I should do?" The kings voice continued to rise. "Give me one reason I shouldn't banish you right now!"
Shion's hands shook as he balled them into fists at his side, and lowered his head.
Nezumi felt a nauseous twist in his stomach.
Of course, he thought. Shion would have to turn him in now. He'd have to tell the king that he knew who had done it, if there was going to be any hope left for him.
Nezumi should have known. This is what always happens.
Yes, life always comes down to moments like this. Nezumi thought as Shion trembled before the king's gaze.
Always forcing people…
"I…" Shion stammered, he tried to take a steady breath.
To give up…
"Your majesty…"
On foolish promises.
Shion let out a breath.
Suddenly, the white haired prince raised his head, and all the tension and nerves seemed to go out of him as he stared up at the King.
Nezumi couldn't see his face, but his shoulders straightened.
"I'm sorry," Shion said, in a soft, clear voice. Nezumi closed his eyes.
"There's nothing."
Nezumi's eyes flew wide.
The king scowled. "Then you take full responsibility for your failure?"
Shion nodded, "I do."
Nezumi's stomach lurched.
No…
"Do you know what this will mean for you, Shion?" The kings eyes were piercing as he stared down at his step son.
"I do," Shion's voice didn't shake anymore. It was peaceful, like a breath.
Nezumi clutched a hand over his mouth to keep from getting sick.
"Very well then," the king said, and the Queen— who Nezumi hadn't noticed until then— started to cry from somewhere in the room.
Nezumi tried to breath evenly, but his mind was whirling.
People only protect themselves. How long have I been telling myself those words?
A person like Shion… like he has always been…. who is willing to help…
"In that case, I, as king, officially decree…"
Shion… I didn't think a person like you…
"As the punishment of his crimes…"
Was supposed to exist.
"Prince Shion, beginning tomorrow at dawn, is officially banished to live in the West District."
Because you're too kind,
"He will be given no quarter, no mercy,"
…and too brave…
"If he is ever found in the kingdom borders again, he will be immediately put to death."
…for such a spoiled child.
"This is the decision of the King."
Shion…
Shion bowed respectfully, "Goodbye then," He looked at his mother.
"I'll miss you both."
…why you are different….
The queen sobbed, and had to be held back from running to Shion, by the guards, as Shion turned around had headed for the doors.
…than everybody else?
When Shion walked through the doors of the throne room, his eyes immediately widened in shock at seeing Nezumi there.
"Nezumi?" He demanded, "What are you doing?"
Nezumi raised his head, pushing off the wall without looking in Shion's direction.
He stood there for a second, as some part of him seemed to settle into a new and uneasy place inside of him.
Nezumi took a deep breath. "I'm coming with you."
Shion's eyes widened. "What?"
Nezumi looked at him sharply. "You heard me."
Shion gaped at him. Then slowly, his expression crumpled,
"I don't want you to give up anything for me." Shion said, his voice low; full of guilt and worry.
Nezumi's frown deepened. This child…
"What a thing for you to say now," Nezumi grumbled, striding forward so his back was to Shion. "What a hypocrite."
Shion blinked, "What do you mean?"
Nezumi sighed.
"I know what I'm doing," The actor said finally, half glancing over his shoulder. "Don't worry about me. Just… do you want me to come or not?"
Shion stared for a long moment, then he smiled.
"I'll always want you," Shion said with a sort of sad conviction. "If it's what you want too, Nezumi."
"Then it's settled," Nezumi said briskly. "Come on. We've got a lot to do if we want to reach the West District by dawn."
Shion nodded, "Okay,"
He ran to catch up to Nezumi as the dark-haired strode down the hall— and when he ran, Nezumi thought, he looked so young. Nezumi watched him out of the corner of his eye, never breaking pace, and when Shion caught up to him— and smiled up into his face— Nezumi sighed.
Shion blinked. "What?"
"You're impossible," Nezumi replied tersely, tugging his scarf up over his face. But beneath the rough fabric, his cheeks were colored.
What am I doing? Shion…