He hadnât really expected the other to apologize, though some naive part of him hoped he might receive something along those lines. If it hadnât been for his prior knowledge as to who exactly he was addressing, Shion would have been lividâ far beyond what he was already expressing. It was with a click of his tongue that he turned away from the other. Though, it wasnât an attempt to ignore him, so much as turn toward his dresser and begin looking for a clean set of clothes that might just fit the taller, drenched someone in the room. He mumbled angry nonsense under his breath as he rummaged, ruining the neat piles of clothes his mother had gone through the trouble of arranging for him while heâd been away.
âThat doesnât make anything better, you know. You kept tabs on me, like youâd done before, but what was I suppose to do? You left me worrying, wondering whether youâd found a nice place to sleep at night or if you were getting enough to eat. Itâs not that I had no faith in you, I justâŠâ
Hands froze then, clothes spared from any further wrinkling. He dared not turn back to face the other, dared not allow him to see the strained expression that was no doubt plastered on his face. Damn it Shion, he scolded himself, donât cry now!
âAm I stupid for thinking of you? Of course, you might think so, but I donât. Not a minute went by where you werenât on my mind, where I didnât wait for you to burst through that window and take me into your arms. And now youâre here, just like I wanted you to be. Once again, youâve answered my wish.â
Slowly he turned to face him, clothes gathered in his hands and a soft expression replacing whatever worried one had previously been on his face.
âYouâre here now, and thatâs all that matters. So I guess I should sayâŠâ
Momentarily, a smile tugged at the corners of his lips, coloring pale features. Then, fast enough to miss if one blinked, a deadpan look took over and Shion hurled the clothes over toward the other.
âGet changed. Iâm still not done being angry, but I donât want to be the one to take care of you if you get sick.â
That, of course, was a complete lie. Shion would gladly care for the other, if only it meant they could make up for lost time.
    As soon as Shion turned for his dresser, Nezumi didnât need three guesses to figure out what he was doing. They were still similar in stature and height, so Nezumi borrowing a change of clothes for the night wasnât impossible. And getting out of the rain soaked clothes wasnât an unpleasant thought at all. Though, hearing the grumbling under Shionâs breath had a chuckle escaping Nezumiâs lips. Some things really did never change.
    Nezumi kept his mouth shut for the time being. When they parted ways seven years ago, Shion had had no doubts Nezumi cared about him in more ways than one, and had gone against his own principle of âonce you have something you have to protect youâre as good as deadâ mantra, saying that it was stupid that Shion had thought of him during their time apart would make him a hypocrite. Shion had been on his mind regularly during their time apart too. Nezumiâs time away from No. 6 had been for his own mental state.Â
    A lot had happened up in the tower of the Correctional Facility, and finally having the emotional and mental shackles thatâd been holding him down and chaining him to the city finally being gone had been an extreme change to acclimate to. True, heâd never be able to go back to his way of life with the Mao people since he was the sole survivor, but even going back to that previous way of life would never be able to happen. Heâd just been sort of.... drifting, all this time.
    But all that didnât mean he couldnât pick on Shion just a little for old times sake.
     âA whole minute passing and you couldnât think of something besides me? Here I thought you mightâve finally traded in your innocence now that you were all grown up.â Nezumi would never forget Shionâs floundering when the prostitute kissed him and it went over his head what the entire encounter had been. Figuring that Shion was still as pure physically and mentally as he was, was endearing somehow.
    Not expecting the clothes to get chucked at his face, they both landed squarely over Nezumiâs head as Shionâs aim had intended, but he was once again laughing at the albinoâs behavior. He was still as entertaining as ever too. âSo youâll clean up a bleeding bullet wound and stitch me up, but you wonât bring me a bowl of soup when Iâm sneezing up a storm. Iâd feel insulted if I actually wanted to be babied.âÂ
    Pulling the clothes off his head and momentarily dropping them to the floor so he could shed his jacket and shirt for a start, Nezumi was sporting a few more scars on his body since Shion last saw him, but they all came simply from living in the wilderness more often than not. Pulling the dry shirt over his head brought a bit of relief, but the rest would come once his pants were changed too. Again, in front of Shion. Modesty hadnât been a concern of his way back when they lived together in West Block, and knowing fully well that Shion was still as single as could be did nothing to worry Nezumi about what Shion would see. Let him turn red and sputter for all he might do, Nezumi wanted to change.
