I twisted Shiki's ending a little. He doesn't manage to actually defeat Nano and….well read on I guess ^_^

p.s Im not sure if Keisuke dies in his ending but lets assume that he doesn't.

I don't own Togainu no Chi of course so don't sue. All thanks go to Nitro+ Chiral for such wonderful ero—I mean, exotic characters ^_^

P.S This'll be one of the only times you'll see Shiki so bummed out.

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Reason- Chapter 1

The morning sun light beamed through Akira's window. The wind blew gently across the surface of his face, cooling him down from his after-nightmare sweat. The mild sounds of swallows singing outside had served as a sweet lullaby to Akira and slowly he drifted off to another sleep…

"Akira, wake up."

His bed sheets were being pulled away from him but he held it tightly and stubbornly. "Argh, let me sleep for a little more…" He opened his eyes groggily but they snapped opened when he found a bloodied Shiki standing over him.

"Shi-Shiki?! What happened?? That's not your blood is it!?" He scrambled up in a panic but Shiki reassured him by saying 'no it's not mine.' He smiled his trademark smirk and sat down besides Akira, laying down his precious katana on the floor.

"That blood…it's from…?"

"Those disgusting junkies. I killed them of course." He chuckled and shook his head. "Every time I smell one of those damned Line users… my arm just reacts by itself and before I know it, their bodies are skewered before my eyes."

Akira gulped and shrank back into bed. God, damn he can be scary…I wonder if he'll go for me next…

"Why were you out late again… I thought you didn't run errands for Arbitro anymore."

Shiki snorted and turned to Akira. "He has that mutt of his to run his errands. That poor, sick, pathetic dog. Maybe I should relieve him of his pain as well."

Akira noticed by the tone of his voice that something was wrong with Shiki. His voice lacked confidence and pride, something that Shiki always –always- showed. So why was he like this? Akira got his answer soon enough.

"I met Nano…"Ohhh that explains everything. "I…we fought and I thought…no, I knew I could win this time. But he must've cheated because of that monstrous power he has. He couldn't have…how did he get me…?"

Akira's eyes landed on the blood trickling down his neck and clothes. "That…wait, THAT'S YOUR BLOOD??! Shiki! Why do you never tell me the truth?!" Akira rushed over to his medical cabinet and quickly pulled out a roll of bandages, a towel and some disinfectant. He returned to Shiki's side and was about to treat him when Shiki grabbed his arm. He pulled Akira closer to his face, almost as if he was going to kiss him but he didn't.

"Akira, I want to ask you…why do you stay with me? I've already told you that you're free to go anywhere you wish to. You don't have to remain at my side anymore because…there's no reason to." Shiki took the towel from Akira's hands and started wiping the blood off him. "You can return to your beloved boyfriend if you wish to…"

Akira's eye twitched. "Keisuke is not my boyfriend. And would you mind not talking like a jerk." He paused, holding out the bandages for Shiki. He smiled and lifted his head slightly. "You've changed a lot, Shiki. You've grown up a little and…maybe even became more considerate about others." He mumbled the last few words. Shiki threw the bloodied towel onto the bed and took the bandages and tended to his own wounds. Akira watched silently at his graceful movements, all the while pondering about his reasons for staying with Shiki. He thought he had a pretty good reason but somehow his mind didn't generate one now. It was as if he didn't want to admit to anything.

"Nano…" Shiki abruptly muttered, getting Akira's attention once more. "He's always looking down on me. All I am to him is a mere interference but one day…," his voice gradually increased, "One day I'll kill him with my own blade for sure! I will kill him. I know I can! Why else would I still be alive in a society like this!?"

It was the second time Akira's seen Shiki panic; the first being the first time he lost against his rival, Nano. Almost nothing could break Shiki's shell. He held no fear, no doubt or hesitation about anything but when it came to Nano…it almost as if the Il-Re Shiki was all but a horrible legend.

"Shiki…?" Akira was cut short when Shiki stood up suddenly and announced he was about to go search for Nano again.

"This time I'm going to do it. I'm sure this time I won't fall for his dirty tricks. Just you wait Akira and I'll bring back his head."

"Wait! Shiki, no!" Akira grabbed Shiki's arm and forced him to face him. "Just what do you think will come out of this?! What good will come out of this fight with Nano?! I know him…he's too strong, even for someone like you Shiki."

Upon hearing this, he glared daggers at Akira and pulled away from him. Akira nearly stumbled but regained his posture. Shiki started barking at him. "No, you don't understand! If I can't kill this man, I will forever remain like this – weak, pathetic and at a loss. I must kill him, Akira. He is the sole reason I'm still here, standing and alive. I'm the only one who can do this. If it wasn't for his tricks I… I know he was cheating. Even with my strength…I can't even scratch him!"

Wow. Akira thought. He couldn't believe Nano had the power to reduce Shiki to…this childish, immature form. It was a figure that anyone could make fun of and laugh at. But Akira wasn't laughing. Instead he felt pity. The sight of Shiki's pathetically sad and irritated face made Akira heart-wrenched. This wasn't the Shiki he knew and admired.

"You don't have to hunt him down. There's no point!" Akira was trying to convince him to stop his mindless chase. "Even if you do kill him…what will happen then?!"

"The future will decide that!" Shiki had his face lowered as he pushed aside Akira. He was storming out the door but Akira had grabbed the tail of his coat, preventing him from leaving. It angered Shiki even more as he sneered aggressively towards him. "Let. Me. Go."

"Hell no! You're just gonna get yourself hurt again. Don't you realize how stupid your actions are?! All you care about is Nano! Nano this, Nano that! It's starting to get on MY nerves!" Akira wasn't so sure if he was feeling jealousy or not. He sure hoped it wasn't. "Shiki, stop chasing him. You're going to break."

"Break? What are you talking about Akira?!" He lowered his eyes to a mean glare. "Last warning. Let go of me or I'll punish you."

Habits never die huh? "You don't own me anymore Shiki. You can't tell me what to…"

Before he could finish the last of his statement, Shiki had his blade at Akira's throat. He was serious. "I won't let anyone stop me. Not even you…."

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Next chapter is coming up pretty soon… I wonder what's going to happen.

~ Kuroki~