The next morning when Shion woke up, Nezumi was still asleep.

Shion's eye widened.

He'd never seen Nezumi asleep before, aside from when he'd passed out because of his wounds. He was always last to go to bed and first to rise, sometimes to the point where he was sitting around dressed for the day by the time Shion opened his eyes.

But this time…

Did he just get worn out last night? Shion wondered, his eyes intently studying the smooth, vulnerable expression on Nezumi's face like he could memorize it. It made Nezumi look so much less cold, so much softer. When he was like this, it was peaceful, and all the beauty came out in his face.

He's so beautiful, Shion thought, his eyes tracing the thick dark lashes against Nezumi's cheek and the curves of his cheekbones under his smooth, cream skin. It was almost heart-breaking.

I may be asking to much of him though, Shion thought, noticing the dark circles under Nezumi's eyes. Nezumi always seemed so strong, but Shion had always worried. He doubted Nezumi would ever say it if Shion was pushing him too hard. He was never that vulnerable.

And it was cold. Shion shivered, trying to tuck himself further under their pile of fabric and closer to Nezumi's warmth. This wasn't good either. It would be too easy for someone to fall ill out here, and Shion was more worried about Nezumi than himself; if only because Nezumi would never let an illness stop him. At least not until it had him laid out and delirious. Shion gnawed his lip at the thought.

But I'll take care of him. Shion vowed, a warmth pooling in his chest as he looked at Nezumi's face again. Just then, Nezumi's eyelids began to stir.

Nezumi was barely awake when he felt something warm against his lips.

He gave a soft grumble, and then there was also something warm sliding against his chest.

It was ridiculously cold everywhere else, aside from whatever warm things were touching him. The effect raised goosebumps on his skin.

Nezumi blinked open his eyes.

Then his body tensed like spring.

If he hadn't caught a glimpse of white hair, their was a chance Shion might have found himself injured that morning. Nezumi wasn't used to having his guard down when it came to people touching him in his sleep.

As it was, Nezumi felt a whole different kind of tension as memories of the night before slowly bled into his mind.

And he wakes me up by kissing me, Nezumi thought feeling Shion's soft lips move against his own, while he still pretended to be partly asleep. Nezumi tried not to blush. This is going to take some getting used to…but if he wants some morning affection…

Nezumi smiled, swiping his tongue against Shion's lip as he leaned into the kiss. Shion made a soft noise, shifting as if about to pull away, but Nezumi was quicker; rolling over until he was straddling Shion and slipping his tongue into Shion's mouth with the help of gravity. His hand slid up the curve of Shion's throat.

Shion whimpered softly, his hands finding their way to Nezumi's waist, pulling him closer. Nezumi smiled.

"You know," Nezumi breathed leaning closer to Shion's ear when they broke for air. "You should be a bit more careful when you go kissing me, Shion. I'm not always this nice in the morning."

"I couldn't resist," Shion panted, and when Nezumi pulled back Shion was looking at him with hooded eyes. Nezumi smiled.

"Hmmm…" Nezumi hummed leaning back in to glide his nose along Shion's neck. "I suppose I can relate to that."

Shion whined, "Nezumi, I still want you."

Nezumi grinned, "Still huh?" He whispered, his breath tickling Shion's skin. "Did you expect it to go away so easily?"

Shion shook his head. "I don't know what to expect. I've never felt like this before."

"Mmmm," Nezumi agreed, "Neither have I." Nezumi's hot lips replaced his nuzzling as he began kissing a trail down Shion's neck, making the white haired boy squirm.

Shion let out a breath, "Nezumi, you're not really discouraging me from waking you up by kissing you."

"Maybe I'm not trying to." Nezumi's tongue slid against Shion's collarbone and then he nipped at it. Shion moaned.

"You're different," Shion murmured as Nezumi's hand started to run up and down his side. "Than before."

Nezumi chuckled, "Well," the actor's mouth found it's way to Shion's ear. "Sex changes things, Shion." and he tugged Shion's earlobe with his teeth.

Shion panted.

He didn't think that was completely it. Nezumi had never felt so close before, and not just physically. It was like Shion could see into Nezumi better than he ever had. That more of what was inside of him seemed to be shining through the mask of darkness and anger that had always been clouding him before. It made Shion want to pull even harder, until he had dragged Nezumi out of the darkness completely, could hold him as he truly was against his chest.

But Nezumi seemed to have other ideas about Shion's chest.

Shion gave a shout. "Nezumi!"

The actor chuckled, laying salving licks over the nipple he'd just nipped and tugged, making Shion flush with heat long before Nezumi mouth deigned to stray any lower.

"Nezumi, why do I alway end up on the bottom like this?"

The actor snorted, a little too dubiously for Shion's liking. "Because it's the natural order of things Shion." Nezumi began, punctuating his words with ever-lower kisses between each one. "A law of opposites. One person is the submissive and the other is dominating. You don't have what it takes to dominate me."

Shion frowned, "You would never give me a chance!"

Nezumi laughed. "It's exactly that kind of mind set that makes you submissive, Shion." Nezumi pointed out with a smirk, "But don't worry…"

Nezumi tongue gave a pointed lick to the crease right above Shion's hips and the white-haired yelped in pleasure, making Nezumi have to hold his hips down to keep him from bucking.

Nezumi winked, "You're submissive side is sexy as hell."

Shion flushed all the way down to his toes.

"Are we…" Shion didn't know quite how to frame the question, "I mean… again? Right now?"

"Hmmm…." Nezumi's deft fingers drew patters over Shion's skin, raising goosebumps on his arms. "That depends. Are you sore?"

For some reason this question made a strange sensation run through Shion's spine. He was a little sore, but that seemed blindingly insignificant next to the opportunity of having Nezumi continue to touch him. To feeling that pleasant heat that was coiling in his stomach.

Shion shook his head. "Not really."

Nezumi raised an eyebrow, and suddenly his fingers moved somewhere Shion couldn't see.

"AH!" Shion shouted in pain and then clamped his hand over his mouth, but Nezumi was already shaking his head.

"Sorry kid, that's a no. But you really shouldn't take it so hard. It's not something I would suggest to anyone the morning after their first time."

Shion gave a sort of pout. "But I want you so much."

Nezumi tried to cover the way that made a blush spread over his cheeks and a flash of heat run down to his groin.

"That's flattering, little prince." Nezumi said a little bit gruffly, "But I'm afraid I need you to be able to walk."

Shion's disappointment was enough that he didn't even hardly notice the dreaded nickname. And at the look on Shion's face, Nezumi gave a sigh.

"But," The actor continued rubbing the back of his neck in something like embarrassment. "We can do… other things…"

Shion looked at him with wide eyes. "What do you mean?"

Nezumi smiled, "I mean exactly what we probably should have used as a stepping stone long before I jumped your bones last night."

And suddenly Nezumi's hand closed around Shion's length.

Shion sucked in a breath like he was hissing. "Nezumi, what are you doing?"

"You're so sensitive, Shion." Nezumi said as he lowered his eyelids. The gesture seemed to change the fundamental color of his eyes to something deeper than before. "You're already so hard for me."

Shion squirmed desperately, giving quiet needy whimpers. "I told you that I wanted you."

Nezumi grinned, "I love how straight forward you are, Shion. It's such a damn turn on."

Then the actor captured Shion's lips as his fingers moved very pointedly along the shaft, making Shion give more desperate noises.

But of course the first thought in Shion's mind was something that shifted the mood considerably.

"Shouldn't I be doing something for you?" Shion panted, looking into Nezumi's eyes when they parted for breath.

Nezumi smiled. His eyes roaming over Shion's prone form; flushed, panting and so completely open to him. His eyes were nearly swallowed up in black.

"Oh you're doing something for me, Shion." Nezumi absolutely purred, "Don't you worry about that."

Shion blushed darker.

Despite Nezumi's assurances Shion tried to reach for him, to make him feel pleasure too, and that gave Nezumi an idea.

"If you want us to feel good together so badly," Nezumi said as he stopped his hand's ministrations, "let me show you something we could try."

Nezumi pulled Shion so that the boy was sitting in his lap, his legs curling around Nezumi's hips, then he took their two lengths together, sliding them against each other as his hand wrapped around them both, before he guided Shion's hand to do the same.

Shion moaned at the contact even as he wrapped his hand carefully around the two of them and his other hand steadied him by gripping Nezumi 's shoulder while he did the same by bracing Shion's waist.

Then with Nezumi's guidance, they started to move together.

Nezumi gave a low groan, and somehow that only added to the feeling for Shion. He didn't know how this could feel so much better, but the heat and the friction were driving him crazy and he nearly had to lean his head on Nezumi's shoulder because he simply couldn't hold it up anymore. The sensations were crashing up and down his spine like waves.

"Shion," Nezumi grunted, and it made the boy shiver. His voice was so rough and so close he felt it as a breath against his skin, cooling his flush as heat coursed through his veins.

In a not so surprising twist, Shion didn't last much longer, barely moaning a warning before he spilt over their hands and groaned Nezumi's name in completion. Leaving Nezumi to coax himself only a little bit longer, focusing on Shion's hand and the sound of his satisfied voice to push him over the edge.

They laid in bed, after that, only long enough to catch their breath before Nezumi was hoisting himself up in all his naked glory to start cleaning them up and hunting down their clothes.

Shion tried not to watch the beautiful actor for too long while he was still bare, lest they have to repeat the morning again. Luckily, it wasn't long before Nezumi's barking orders started to drive such thoughts quickly from Shion's mind.

"Hurry up, Shion." The actor instructed as he got them ready to go outside. "It's time to teach you how to survive in the West District."

As it turned out, the first lesson of surviving in the west district, was how to bathe.

Bathing was somewhat controversial in the palace, and had been seen as some what of a waste of time when Shion was a kid, but to Nezumi it was apparently a vitality in the West District.

"This place is a pit," Nezumi said bitterly as him and Shion carried buckets full of well water back towards the shack. "full of dirt and wild animals. People fall ill here, and die here, to much for you to take the risk of not getting the grim off. It's the only thing to keep away the illnesses that spread like wildfire among the cold and the filthy."

It turns out, though, that the cold was also part of the reason baths were a necessity.

"If you do it right," Nezumi said, "and you heat the water, and only bath in the height of the day, then it may be one of the best ways to get some heat in your skin so your clothes have something to hold onto when the temperatures plummet at night. And it will be better with the two of us than it was for me alone. This way one of us can stand watch."

Shion realized why this was necessary when he realized the bath was a large tin tub covered by a blanket that was sitting between the few remaining walls of the house above their basement home.

Apparently it being outside was partly because heating the water required a fire, and partly because during the day, the sun was your best chance of warmth as long as the weather was clear.

After labor intensive bathing, Nezumi explained to Shion the system of bargaining for food. However, he prefaced his statement with the disclosure that Shion had better let Nezumi be in charge if that, which ended up being the theme of Nezumi's remaining lessons.

"So what should I do then?" Shion asked at one point, and Nezumi looked at him seriously.

"Stay inside when I'm not here," Nezumi said, "I'll bring work for you to do when I can, and you can cook over the fire when I'm here at night. If you want to go anywhere, I will go with you when I get back, but otherwise it's best for you to stay where it's safe."

Shion didn't totally like that idea, he had to admit. However, he still decided to trust Nezumi over arguing the point right now. After all, it wasn't like he had any idea what he was really asking for anyway.

"So where will you be when you're not here?" Shion asked cautiously when their lessons were almost finished.

Nezumi seemed hesitant to answer.

"There's a job here that pays better than most the others." He explained slowly. "If we are going to pay for both of us, it's probably my best option. But it's dangerous, so you can't go with me. Do you understand? I know how to protect myself, so I'll be fine. But if you go you'll be at serious risk."

Shion felt a uneasiness settle over him with those words. What was it Nezumi was doing to try and pay for him? It made his palms start to sweat.

Nezumi sighed, "Don't make that face. You look like you could vomit." he mussed Shion's hair. "Don't worry. I wouldn't do it if I thought it was risky for me. I'll be fine as long as you stay here."

Shion sort of nodded. He guessed he could trust that for now, but the wobbliness in his stomach didn't go away.

By the time Nezumi had set everything up with Shion and finished explaining things, it was almost evening, and time for Nezumi to head out.

He warned Shion again about staying inside, and he dressed as warmly as he could before setting out into the broken, wild streets of the West District.

It took about ten minutes to walk to the establishment he was looking for, a distance he viewed as a sort of insulation between Shion and this place.

Nezumi took a deep breath as he walked up to the door and stepped inside.

This was the loudest building for miles. Tables were crammed together between sorry excuses for a stage, and a bar, while assorted vessels of alcohol littered the crowd of dirty people.

They were the source of the noise, talking and shouting and making crude remarks about the dancers who were taking their clothes off on the make-shift stage.

Nezumi ignored all of it as he approached the bar.

"Hey there Sal," Nezumi shouted above the noise, and a tall, rail thin man with mousey hair turned around, and flashed his crooked teeth with he saw Nezumi standing there.

"Well if it isn't the Rat! What are you doing here again?" his voice stank of alcohol.

"Could you still use a bar tender?" Nezumi asked, trying to look relatively pleasant as he asked the man his favor. Sal laughed.

"If it's you? Of course! But I still wish you'd agree to become one of my dancers. You'd knock 'em dead."

"That's all right, Sal," Nezumi declined firmly, "bar tending is more my skill set."

Sal laughed obnoxiously.

"Whatever you say, what every you say," the owner laughed, "Can you start tonight then? We're a bit crowded, as you can see."

"Sure thing," Nezumi agreed, and smoothly lifted himself over the bar. "Where should I start?"

Sal grinned with his yellow teeth. "Oh you know the drill, Ratty. Give the customers what they pay for and keep their hands of my merchandise. Can I still count on you to rescue my performers if things get a 'lil rowdy?"

Nezumi tried to contain his distaste. "Sure thing, Sal."

Sal patted him on the back. "Atta boy, Ratty. Well then, enjoy your first night. Try to keep things under control, will 'ya?"

Nezumi nodded, and turned towards the barking crowd.

"What'll you have?" He asked the first man who came clambering up to the bar.

The man looked him over drunkenly.

"I wouldn't mind having you," the man slurred, leaning heavily on the bar.

Nezumi wrinkled his nose. "I'm not available. Order a drink or get out."

"Ooh feisty," The man grinned, and Nezumi glared at him.

"I guess I'll have another vodka then, princess." the man said finally. "but let me know if you change your mind."

Nezumi resisted reaching for the dagger he had concealed under his jacket as he narrowed his eyes.

"Coming right up." the actor said as he found the bottle and began pouring it into a tin cup.

It was going to be a long evening.

Nezumi didn't come home until long after it had gotten dark, and Shion was worried.

He had considered going to look for him a hundred times, but the thought of what Nezumi would do to him if he caught him out convinced Shion to stay inside.

Finally, when the white-haired boy was about to go insane with worry, the cellar doors opened and Nezumi descended into their dimly lit home.

"Nezumi!" Shion gasped in relief. "You're back."

"Yeah," Nezumi agreed, and pulled a small pouch out of his jacket, jingling it for Shion to hear. "First night's wages were pretty decent. It'll be a good start for getting some food tomorrow."

Shion eyed it curiously. "Are your ever going to tell me what it is that you're doing?"

"It's not particularly important." Nezumi replied, stuffing the money back in his coat and looking at Shion more directly.

Finally he smiled.

"You kept out of trouble while I was gone?" He asked, looking Shion up and down as if looking for something out of place.

Shion frowned, "What did you think I was going to do?"

Nezumi shook his head tiredly. "Nothing. I just worry about you."

Shion flushed at this. It was one of those unconscious kindnesses that had begun slipping out of Nezumi recently, and it always left Shion's chest feeling warm.

Nezumi stretched and sat down on the bed. He looked up at Shion and patted the spot next to him. "Come on, Shion. We should go to bed. We don't have food yet so it's best if we conserve energy until tomorrow."

Shion nodded and moved to sit beside Nezumi on the bed. When he did, he caught a whiff of something strong.

"Is that alcohol?" Shion asked in surprise. He hadn't realized there would even be alcohol way out here.

Nezumi tensed. "Yeah it is. Sorry it reeks so bad. I didn't drink anything, it's just hard to avoid the smell."

Shion's stomach twisted.

Why? Where had Nezumi been that other people were drinking?

Shion wanted to ask, but the set of Nezumi's shoulders said that it wouldn't go very well. He sighed and let it go for the time being.

"It's just too bad." Shion began, blushing as he said it. "I like the way you smell. Now I can't smell it anymore."

Nezumi froze.

"You like the way I smell?" he asked in apparent disbelief. "I haven't exactly been wearing a scent, Shion. Do you just enjoy a good whiff of sweat and dirt?"

Shion blushed deeper, "No, there's something else. Something about your skin and your hair that just… it smells like you." Shion shook his head furiously. "Oh never mind."

Nezumi raised a narrow eyebrow.

Oh fuck it.

"Shion," Nezumi murmured, reaching out and turning Shion's face toward him by the chin. "Just come here."

The two of them fell onto the bed together, curling up in the blankets and tangling together, bodies and limbs, as their lips warred hot and urgent against each other. Nezumi pulled Shion on top of him and buried his fingers in his white hair.

They stayed like that for hours. Just kissing and tame touching. There were moments both of them wanted to go further but Nezumi laid down a firm line. Partly for the sake of exhaustion and partly for the sake keeping their clothes on for warmth tonight.

Besides, Nezumi thought, they hadn't done enough of this. Enough of the simple, less complicated touching that made his heart speed in a way that hand nothing to do with sex or desire, but something else.

Tonight especially, after watching men howl at stripping dancers and paw at them as they passed by, Nezumi needed this. The simplicity of holding Shion against him and feeling him curling into his touch, something deeper than pleasure.

However, he didn't let himself look to closely at why it felt so good to have Shion just be there. To just hold him, and kiss him, and feel the warmth of him in the freezing cold. He didn't look at the fact that even if Shion wasn't touching him at all, there would be a relief just in the fact that he was there–that Nezumi could hear his voice, and look into his eyes and know that Shion, more than anyone else in the world, really saw him and would miss him if he went away.

All of those thoughts were too terrifying to confront right now. But somewhere deep in Nezumi's chest they were still there. And maybe someday, when he'd grown used to someone else being at his side, then Nezumi could unpack those thoughts and look at them more closely in the light.

But not tonight.