I pressed a soft brush against his lips like a spring breeze—a pressure that settled and dispersed all too quickly—leaning back like the wind had never blown.

"Is this a goodbye kiss?" He asked, innocent smile shining even though the burgundy eyes that begged otherwise.

I shook my head, "No, it's a promise."

I stared as those two souls regained life anew, just as they did moments ago, only this time they seemed to be overflowing, positively radiant with a crimson light that almost washed my own out. Turning, I walked off, leaving Shion with a peace I wished I had.

"Nezumi-" Shion called, hand outstretched.

"It means I will come back Shion," I called over my shoulder, glancing one last look at him before the long journey ahead. I needed to go, but Shion's dumb grin stopped me in my tracks.

"I know." Was all that slipped out, arm falling back to his side, translucent hair slightly ruffling in the breeze.

Behind Shion the walls were awash in grey shambles, the city of death never to suck the life of another again, but rather to grow and thrive as it once did. A place where black and white would no longer be accepted as truth but deliberated until a medium could be found that could save more than the barrel of a gun. Never more would Shion have to make that choice for me—between black and white—Elyurias made sure of that.

"Shion..." I whispered, turning around and facing the decimated wall of No. 6 behind him, "how do you really know?"

"No matter how much you try," Shion laughed, kind and low, "I think I'm really starting to understand you."

He tipped his head back and let his mouth slide open, a sigh escaping as his red eyes disappeared behind fragile lids. Even the lashes gracing his windswept cheeks were the same ivory shade of his shaggy, tousled hair.

"I used to think you were a flower and I was the bee, bumbling through this forest trying to find you," he mumbled, eyes closed and lips still upturned. "But I've grown—no, we've grown Nezumi—and now I know." His alabaster lashes softly retreated to show a kind gaze I couldn't shake.

"Nezumi," Shion mumbled, taking a step toward me, where I was frozen and rooted to the spot like a tree with a winter cold, "we are so much more than that. We are oxygen, plants, water, the little stones skipped by children too young to understand that bees and flowers need to grow together. Nezumi, we are life, interconnected and dependent, and it's only through each other that we can truly grow."

Shion then breathed, chancing a look at the desolate crater surrounding the two of us and waited another moment before speaking again.

"We will find each other again. Or, you will find me because I will be here waiting for you, no matter how long it takes." He still wouldn't stop smiling that same stupid smile and a tear began to slide down my cheek. "We can live without each other, but my life won't be the same without you in it."

Before I realized what I was doing, I flung myself into Shion's arms, grabbing his face with both hands and forcing him to look at me, "once an idiot, always and idiot," I murmured, pressing my lips against his one last time.

Except I couldn't stop, my hands didn't let go, and Shion's arms carefully wrapped around my shoulders, bringing me closer. I pressed harder into the kiss, nothing like the goodnight or goodbyes of before, but urgent and reckless. One hand snaked into his hair, pulling him forever closer and closer, tongue tracing at his bottom lip until he gasped and opened wide, our teeth clanking in an undignified way but my body was shaking. I breathed in the taste of Shion, life mixed with a fierce kind of senseless hope that really couldn't be classified on the tongue.

I pulled back, tears falling freely down my cheeks now. "Shion," I tried to scream, but it was so quiet with him so close.

He pulled me in and hugged me too tight—don't go, it whispered—but then he leaned back and stared me dead in the eye, all humor gone. "I love you Nezumi, so come back to me when you're ready."

I choked, sobs threatening to spill forth, head nodding up and down as I desperately tried to quell my tears with the sleeves of my jacket. Shion smiled once again, fingers reaching up and wiping them away for me, stroking my cheek idly.

"I will come back." I stated, voice scratchy and hoarse.

"I know." Shion smiled, placing once last goodbye on my lips before turning back to the fallen No. 6.

I spun around, too distraught to watch to him go. We both had business to attend to. This wasn't goodbye forever, just until we could meet again.

Shion leaned against the shovel he had just been using, sighing and taking off a glove to wipe the sweat from his brow.

"Take a break Shion, you've been moving debris since the sun rose," Karan laughed, carefully making her way down the recently cleaned stairs with a basket toting Lili not too far behind.

"It's really begging to feel like spring now," Shion mused, eying the basket of goodies Lili was mischievously hiding behind her back. He reached for the basket to retrieve a piece of bread only to have her squeal and hide behind his mother's skirts, giggling the whole time.

"That's only because you're single-handedly trying to clean up the damage from the walls. Shion, it's only been a week, this city needs time to heal." Karan snatched a loaf of bread from Lili's basket and gave it to Shion, smirking at his furred brows.

"I just want to make-"

"It look good," Karan finished, "for Nezumi."

She couldn't help but laugh as Shion angrily tore into the bread, refusing to meet his mother's gaze.

"Shion, the city will heal regardless of you overextending yourself of not." Karan reached out and fluffed his hair, making the rueful grin return. "Time is all we can count on now."

With a bow, Karan and Lili were off to feed other people cleaning the city, Lili making sure to leave a small slice of cherry pie behind on a folded napkin just for Shion.

"That little girl is growing up so quickly," he grinned. Bending down to pick up the pie, Shion noticed a strange movement from the corner of his eye. It couldn't be the killer bees, Elyurias had destroyed them all, but something else was rustling the bush near his feet.

Out popped Nezumi's favorite mechanize rat, pill-sized container in mouth.

"Nezumi..." Shion breathed, hardly believing it. He understood that Nezumi needed to get out and take care of his own things, but he never once thought he would get a message.

The black rat dropped the container and simply looked up at Shion, waiting for him accept the message. Carefully Shion opened it and Nezumi's familiar tiny scrawl became clear, even through the blooming tears in Shion's eyes.

I miss you already, but it won't be forever

-Nezumi

Shion clutched the slip of paper to his chest, almost breaking down right there on the stairs. Wherever Nezumi was, whatever he was doing, he was thinking of Shion, missing Shion, wanting to come back to Shion.

Shion quickly scooped up Nezumi's rat and ran to his mom's bakery, pens and paper flying until he found a slip small enough to reply on. After staring down at the blank strip, it wasn't hard to think of what to say, only how to make it short and concise. Nezumi was right, Shion was terrible with words, but he would somehow find the right ones this time.

Shion rolled up the paper and placed it inside the container, returning it to the rat. "Take this to Nezumi, please," he begged, and the rodent was off.

Shion leaned against the counter and laughed, giant tears rolling down his cheeks and onto his collar. "I'll fix this city," he whispered, staring at the slip of paper he never thought he would get, "then you'll come back and I'll never let you leave without me again."

Take as long as you need. I love you

-Shion

My heart skipped at those words, so perfectly written in their simplicity, but full of affection from the boy who I had accidentally let take a piece of me. Not even a week had gone by and the distance was too much, I had to send a message. Why didn't I think Shion would reply, why didn't I stop for a moment to think that maybe that beautiful, sacred and scarred boy, would somehow find the way with his simple words to make me miss him even more without even seeing him?

I rolled the tiny scroll up tight and stowed it away, another one already resting and ready for the pen. This one would take longer to get to him, but I had to let him know I was still alive; let him know that I got his message. Shion deserved more than this rat of a person I am, but I couldn't just give him hope and disappear. My journey was only beginning, but Shion would be with me every step of the way.

It was a month before another message from Nezumi arrived, but even though Shion didn't know when or where these messages would come, he began to count his life in them.

I am already searching; I just don't know what for

-Nezumi

You will find it Nezumi; I believe in you and love you

-Shion

Did you know there are other cities Shion? Big cities, lonely without you

-Nezumi

Tell me about them. Find yourself. I love you

-Shion

So many people. All different. Language wrong. Miss you

-Nezumi

Learn the people and language. I love you

-Shion

Every new town I learn much but miss you more

-Nezumi

Have you found it yet? I still love you

-Shion

Shion stared hard at the book in front of him, trying to force the words to make sense, but it was too dark with too little light. He supposes he could have been reading on his ebook to make the experience easier, but printed books held an allure Shion couldn't deny after his stay with Nezumi.

A glance at the clock tells him that it is indeed too late to be reading—past 1:00 in the morning—but Shion's mind is too awake to sleep. He knows not to count on a message from Nezumi, but it's been three months now, and the usual was two.

It's been over a year now since the walls around No. 6 had fallen and the people were learning to live with truth instead of lies. At first he stayed with his mother, helping around the bakery and cleaning up and reorganizing the city in every effort he could, but soon a reform was called. Who would teach these young minds now that that they were free people? Shion was volunteered even though he was still learning himself, and with the job of an educator he had enough funds to afford his own place (which his mother encouraged in order to pursue his ecological dreams).

The apartment wasn't large, but the windows were, allowing for the plants Shion brought in to thrive. This was his sanctuary where books abounded and plants and critters ran the balcony. But not everything was perfect…

Shion yawned and closed the book, standing up and walking towards the sliding doors of the balcony. Soundlessly they open and Shion steps outside, scaring off numerous bugs and small animals that nest safely for the night. A small brown rat rounds her way up Shion's leg and rests on his shoulder where Shion softly rubs his head.

"Enjoying the view Ophelia?" he asks and the rat rubs against his shoulder, content being with him. Shion walks over to the railing and leans against it, staring into the city lights. "You know Ophelia, I used to scream on nights like this," he says, looking over at her and seeing that she's sleeping quietly on his shoulder, sighs. "I screamed for a change. I didn't know what I wanted, but that's how Nezumi found me, and I wouldn't change that night for anything Ophelia."

Shion felt another rat paw at his feet and chuckled, looking down to glimpse the black glossy fur of Emmerson. "Coming to join your sister?" he inquired, looking up at the stars. "Sometimes I like to pretend that Nezumi and I are looking at the same star at the same time, Em, and that if I believe this hard enough, I can imagine him right next to me."

Emmerson landed on Shion's shoulder and he reached down to pet him when he felt something weird, something… "A message from Nezumi!" Shion all but screamed, waking and scaring Ophelia off.

He quickly snatched the capsule and unrolled it, revealing the uncharacteristically short message from Nezumi.

I love you too

-Nezumi

"You finally found it," Shion whispered, paper almost slipping between his shaking fingers.

"If you don't stop grinning like that, I'm going to have to call up the Dogkeeper and some of the smelliest dogs because that look –"

"Nezumi!" Shion yelled, whipping around to see where I am leaning against the glass window of the balcony.

"Shion," I breathed, hardly able to perceive his appearance myself even after planning on showing up here with the confession planned. It had only been a year, but his hair was longer, stature taller, presence fuller.

"D-d-did," he stuttered, arm begging to reach, "did you really find it? What you were looking for?"

"I think I did." I replied, kicking off the window and marching over to Shion. Shion that went wide-eyed and mouth dipped open at the sight of me actually standing before him; pupils, dilated to almost cover the raging red beneath. I slid a finger under his chin and prompted his head up—we were too close now for him to look else elsewhere. "I searched because I couldn't believe it Shion," I breathed, his mouth twitching at the proximity of mine, "couldn't believe that you could love me."

His chest hitched, sharply inhaling, but I held up one finger.

"You are so pure, so light and clear. You don't hide anything, you are who you say you are, and something about that made my throat close up. My hands would sweat. I would forget lines I'd have memorized form years before. Your presence caused my heart to accelerate until I was sure you were aware you were toying with me," I leaned in closer, ghosting over his lips and Shion stayed absolutely still, "but I knew I was just lying to myself." I retreated back until his eyes were in focus again, the same two I know I could never forget.

"You could never hide something so devious, it was all me. Or at least I thought it was until your goodnight kiss, and then for sure at our last meeting." My fingers fell from his face and grasped his shoulders, bringing him in for a hug, "Shion, you knew you loved me from that moment, but I had to find it within myself. There is so much more out there than the cities the government created—so much more beauty—but also so much anguish. But one thing I could never find anywhere was you." I pulled Shion back to see him with that same soft grin he always wore when looking at me.

"I love you," he smiles, placing both hands on my cheeks and bringing down my forehead to rest against his.

"I love you too," I murmur, pecking Shion on the lips.

Shion grabs my hair and forces my lips back, pressing almost too harshly against mine, but I can't find it in me to care. I tighten my arms around him, bringing him closer while opening my mouth and nipping at his lips. This is barely our third kiss and we are about to start making out but I can't find it in me to care when Shion parts his lips and darts his tongue out to meet mine. I slide my tongue into his mouth, sighing at the safe taste of sweetened grain, and bring one hair to his hair, softly pulling on the roots.

Shion is rubbing one hand on my waist and another in my hair when he is somehow able to force dominance. He pulls my hair and I retract my tongue, giving him ample opportunity to bite my lips and cause a stifled moan to slip past my bruised lips. I freeze, body betraying me once again.

Shion snickers against my lips, "I figured you might like a little hair pulling," before kissing along my jaw line and making my knees weak.

"Uh, Shion," I question, "firstly, where did you learn that? And also can we go inside before we get in trouble for public disturbance?"

He pauses, mumbling against my jugular, "I've had ample time to read many types of books in your absence Nezumi," and then he says in the most sultry voice to ever come out those lips—that voice should never come out of those lips—"just what did you have in mind that would get us in so much trouble Nezumi?"

I lean back and quickly pick up Shion, causing him to lose his suave air and look upset for a moment before I quickly trek inside the house, sliding the doors closed and the blinds with them. Setting Shion down on the couch, I sit over him and lean to turn the lamp on to give the room a little light.

"First night back and you already can't get enough of me, huh?" I joke, watching how Shion's cheeks flush as I roll my hips, hardness rapidly growing beneath me. I lean over and catch his lips again, hands pulling up his shirt to press into his sides.

Shion then rolls his hips and groans, quickly stiffening and cheeks going even redder than before.

"Shion, come on here, if you are enjoying it, then just do it," I implore, meeting his eyes as I line us up and slowly move, bodies meeting at points of pleasure and Shion's hesitation begins to fade away.

"I just, didn't want to rush you—" he starts, lips quickly latching onto my neck and begin sucking as our bodies move together.

"You aren't rushing me," I pant, tired of the clothes stopping me from feeling Shion with my own two hands. I tug at his shirt until he realizes what I want and stops his neck care long enough to shed it.

"You too," he laughs, as I try to pepper his chest in kisses.

"So demanding for one so pure" I mock, sitting up and almost ripping my shirt off in my fervor to return to his ministrations.

As I kiss his chest, I pay close attention to the scar that winds through his body, being extra careful to not hurt him in anyway. His hands trace up and down my sides before coming to rest on my nipples, playfully pinching and rubbing them in a way that has me drooling on his chest. I take one of his own in my mouth and suck, making him groan and buck, only pulling off when he beings to whimper.

His hands being to trail farther down, softly and deftly pulling at the buttons on my pants until he magically opens them and has and hand in my pants before I can realize it. A Shion cups me, I gasp, leaning forward to pepper his face with kisses and lean back to demand "No clothes. Now."

I stand up quickly and tear off the rest of my clothes, Shion already unzipping and kicking off his pants and boxers, leaving him bare and open on the couch.

Placing one leg over him and hovering above I whisper "I really hope you aren't attached to this couch because we are about to wreck it. This is your last chance to save it."

He only laughs and pulls me down, catching my lips and wrapping his legs around mine as our bodies finally meet without the hindrance of clothing. Shion feels so soft beneath me, panting as he bucks up, trying to find some friction in all of our fumbling. I grab one of his hands and bring it down between us, showing him how to take the precum and rub it over for less resistance. Then I line us up, my hands over both of us and he's positively shaking beneath me. I kiss over every inch of his face as we move, forever ruining the couch and also probably making some angry neighbors. Shion's moans are increasing, his lips trying to find purchase in my neck after I release one particularly loud scream that bears quite a resemblance to his name.

Eventually, I can't handle it. I'm here, Shion's here, and we are together, here, doing this, and I lose it. Shion is seconds behind, teeth so high up on my neck it's more like my jaw, but I don't mind—I could never mind—not with Shion.

As our breathing returns to normal, I slowly lay down on top of him, wrapping my clean arm around his middle and pulling him close to me. "You are so beautiful Shion," I tell him, nuzzling his neck and breathing in his after sex scent.

He closes his eyes and huffs, "You were the one that had hundreds of adoring fans Nezumi. If anyone is beautiful here, it's you."

I laugh and snuggle closer, ignoring the growing discomfort of our neither regions for a moment longer. "That's just because you weren't on stage with me. If you had any acting skills, you would have crushed the hearts of just as many."

Shion lightly slaps my head, pushing me away so he can sit up. "I really don't want to survey the damage right now, but let's just get cleaned up and go to bed, okay?"

I stand up and follow Shion to his bathroom where I'm given a wet washcloth and some clean boxers to change into. As soon as I open my mouth to speak, Shion is rambling "you can share my bed, it's pretty big. If you want to that is, I mean—"

"I would love to," flows out easily, and he just takes my hand and leads me to a bed obviously meant for two.

He slides in and opens the blankets, a welcome invitation I can't say no to. I cuddle up next to him, wrapping my arms around him like I'd always wanted to do back when we had been in the West District.

"Sleep well Shion."

"Sleep well Nezumi."

"Shion, it's so good to see you today!" Karan sings and Shion opens the door, grin plastered on his face, closely followed by someone Karan hasn't met but would know in an instant. "And you must be Nezumi!" She beams, stepping from behind the counter and hugging both her son and myself.

"I can never thank you enough for what you did for my Shion," Karan says with eyes closed, arms still wrapped around me. "You saved him so many times and now I get to meet you." She lets go and backs up enough to get a good look at me, her eyes taking in every inch of my soul and I feel like I should run.

"Mom…?" Shion asks, looking strangely between me and his mother.

Karan claps her hands together and announces "he looks good enough for me, so he must be good enough for you!" before heading back behind the counter to sort baked goods.

I glance at Shion who looks ready to bolt any moment now, trying to not laugh at how embarrassed he looks.

"Mom!" he all but yells, and I begin to snicker, hand coming up to hide the giggles bubbling forth.

"Watch after him though Shion," she says with a deadly seriousness as my laugher fades, "he's got some nasty bruises on his neck, so you may need to stick up for him if he gets into any more fights." And then she's gone behind the curtain to the back kitchen where her barely contained hysterics reverberate throughout the house.

"MOM!" Shion screams, covering his face with his hands and peeking at me through fingers with extreme horror in his eyes.

"I think she likes me." I smirk, walking over and peeling his hands away from his face, weaving his fingers between mine.

Shion sighs, "I always knew she would," squeezing my hand back and looking in my eyes, totally content and full of bliss.