Overjoyed. An understatement. No word in any language had been invented to describe Shirogane's feelings now. He had won. Homurabi was dead, he was king, back in power, resuming peace. He lay wounded and battered on the cave floor as the crimson - haired king faded away to many purple coloured discs of light.

"Akira - kun!" he excitedly yelped, standing up. "I was wrong. You are resolved! I knew you could do it! I -" he was cut off by the sight of the beaten boy. A small puddle of crimson liquid was forming next to him.

Shirogane stumbled over as gracefully as he could to examine Akira. His leg, obviously broken, lay limply at an odd angle, his torso was ripped open and gushing blood, and the sticky red liquid came rushing out of his mouth whenever he coughed. The silver - haired shadow panicked he couldn't heal a wound this big by himself. Maybe...

He tapped his chin. Akira was much too special to Shirogane to lose him now. He would have to try. Using all the strength he had left in him, he began to heal his beloved partner.

~oOOOo~

Akira awoke. As he tried to sit up, a dull pain ran thought his entire body. When the haze cleared in his eyes, he saw Shirogane sleeping against a wall. His gaze fell to his leg. It was facing the correct direction, unbroken. 'I could have sworn I -' his thought broke off there. The teen whipped his head around to stare at the resting shadow.

"Shirogane..."

He sighed and picked up the shadow king. Holding him this close made a tingle run down his spine. Ignoring that, he turned and staggered out of the cave.

Once out of the cave, the teenage shin's arms gave out. He dropped Shirogane, who woke up as he hit the stone ground.

"Akira - kun?"

He stumbled over to a wall on the outside of the cave and plopped down. The black haired teen closed his eyes for a moment to breathe in the fresh air. His moment of peace didn't last long for soon after he closed his eyes, he felt some water dripping on the bridge of his nose.

"Oh great! Now I'm going to get all wet!" Akira complained. Shirogane chuckled.

"Akira. Honestly, I could die happy right now. Since Homurabi is dead, there's no need to fight anymore. You can go back to your normal life and I can go back to mine." Shirogane said, crawling to find a spot next to Akira.

Akira could tell Shirogane was all too happy about this but...

Wouldn't that mean Akira could never see the shadow king again?

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