Awakening From a Dream, After Reading About a Dream {NezuShi}

It's nighttime when he finally awakes from his slumber. Due to simple carelessness on his part, he ended up dozing off on the floor, in a room strewed with fine literature that would make even the most adamant bibliophile envious.

He didn't know for sure when exactly he fell asleep, but he guessed it was sometime in the late afternoon, shortly after Nezumi left to run some errands. He had offered to accompany him, but Nezumi insisted that he stay here and wait, assuring him that he would return before dinner.

He did wait, contenting himself with Nezumi's impressive collection of novels, and holding one-sided conversations with the robotic mice. Hamlet, Cravat, and Moonlit were a great trio of listeners. Alive or not, he really considered them his friends, and they were the first ones to greet him when he opened his bleary crimson eyes.

Blinking in the dimness, he sat up and stretched his worn out muscles, drawling out an ungraceful yawn. In a mild state of confusion, he mumbled out Nezumi's name, wondering where the other was. Is he still out? How long was I asleep for? He scratched at his fluffy alabaster scalp, regarding the rodents fondly as all three of them began to crawl along his arms.

"Heheh, hey. St-Stop, that tickles." he chuckled drowsily, looking around.

Uncouth or not, it was no wonder he fell asleep. Even on the ground, this place had a strangely cozy atmosphere. It was warm, safe, and filled to the brim with the chronicles of various characters. Since living here, he's read most of the books so many times, he felt he knew the fictional beings personally. In a way, even if it was just him and Nezumi with his rats, they could never be truly alone. Just open up a book.

Still, Nezumi's lack of presence gnawed at him a bit. He didn't want to say that he felt lonely, but he missed the other boy, despite only being apart from him for a few hours at the least. The thought of Nezumi inadvertently made him smile, as the three mice squeaked nearby.

"Nezumi...I wonder what he's up to, what he's thinking at this moment..." he pondered out loud, speaking both to himself and the rats that may or may not be able to comprehend. A flash of worry cringed his peacefully contemplative expression. "What if he ran into some trouble? Dammit, I hope he's okay...I mean, of course he is. Like he always says..."

I know what I'm doing.

He walked out of the shower with a towel around his waist. The makeup from the nights performance, and the dust of the West Block had been scrubbed free and forgotten in just a few short minutes. His eyes lit and he smirked in amusement looking over the other boy as he used a second towel to wring out his hair before tossing it at him playfully.

"I've been here for about 20 minutes...You looked so peaceful sleeping I didn't want to wake you up."

He gave him a sly smirk as he sat on the bed and tied up his wet hair into a ponytail.

"Really cute when you sleep too...Must have been a good dream. You kept saying my name in this really sultry voice. Nezuuumiii... Nezuuuuuuumiiiiii..."

He laughed to himself, covering up the fact that something about it had seriously turned him on. Enough to need a cold shower anyway.
He looked him over, eyes drifting over the snakelike scar...following it lower until he threw a hand over his eyes rubbing his forehead to try and focus. He coughed loudly and stretched out before realizing he was still only in a towel.

"You're turning my workers into pets. They're going to become cute little saps who can't fight and love children..."

He gave a hint of a smile thinking about it. Something about the way Shion treated the mice was so...Shion. It was so innocent and cute and--
He bit his tongue flushing red.

Here I am getting all lost in thought again...

"They seem to like you."

He got up and headed to the one small dresser that wasn't full of books and moved to grab some clean clothes.

"Read anything good today?"

"Ehh, Nezumi--!?" The more sinewy boy with the silvery eyes and dark hair startled him out of his reverie, eliciting a surprised yelp. He quickly grappled onto a book and pretended to be heavily engrossed in the tale, trying to mask the blush that tinted his pale face.

He pouted and grumbled under his breath, realizing that a damp towel was obscuring his vision. He imagined one must look rather moronic, attempting to read with a towel over your head. With haste, he tore it away and cleared his throat, glancing up from the pages to look at Nezumi.

"Um, hey! Welcome home. Sorry, I guess I was just..." he frowned bashfully as his voice trailed, searching for the next line of words that seemed to be snagged in his throat. Embarrassment colored his countenance once again at what Nezumi had just said. "Wha-What? N-No, I didn't!"

Did I? Did I dream? Could he be teasing me?
I can vaguely remember...
No...Oh, hell.
And he heard me?!

He bit his lower lip, averting Nezumi's gaze. Unwanted berating assailed his mind, interrogating him endlessly on his blunder.

Why do I have to go and make an idiot out of myself whenever Nezumi's around?

He sighed despondently, messing with his disheveled white hair. Nezumi spoke again, alerting him that now wasn't the time to think. The other boy seemed to have a knack for clouding his noggin. He tilted his head to the side at Nezumi's statement, letting a smile form upon his lips.

"It still amazes me how you created them! I think they really do have feelings and thoughts, just as we do. Isn't that right, Cravat?" he laughed, scooping up the mouse with the cinnamon fur.

He nuzzled the little creature, before giving Nezumi a cheerful grin. His troubles disappeared for the time being, simply feeling happy and relieved that his companion was home without any harm.

"Ah! I did. I was reading some of Sir Conan Doyle's works. A Study in Scarlet." he beamed, then became pensive. "Sherlock Holmes. A really interesting and complex character, isn't he? The mystery genre in general seems to be full of suspense and complexities. I enjoy reading them."

His bright red eyes drifted wherever Nezumi went, as he got caught up in his ramble about the novel. They stopped when Nezumi turned his back on him briefly, when he was fumbling in the drawers for clothes. His gaze rested along the curve of Nezumi's spine, noting how gorgeous the other male was. It was no mystery why Nezumi had many admirers. When his gaze met the scars that marred Nezumi's otherwise perfect flesh, he respectfully looked away.

But through a sideways glance, he was transfixed with Nezumi's face. How his jawline was angular and chiseled to sublimity, how those lips were like two rose petals, always in an alluring simper. What captivated him most of all, however, was Nezumi's grey eyes. They were just so fascinating, so unusual, and without a doubt beautiful.

He hastily pulled the yellow long sleeved shirt over his back and pulled on pants not bothering with boxers. He gave him a curious look and raised a brow listening to the other.

"Of course they have feelings. I needed someone to talk to when you weren't around."

He moved over to steal the book, flipping to a part he liked and reading out loud.

"Under such circumstances I naturally gravitated to London, that great cesspool into which all the loungers and idlers of the Empire are irresistibly drained. There I stayed for some time at a private hotel in the Strand, leading a comfortless, meaningless existence, and spending such money as I had, considerably more freely than I ought."

He smirked slightly and closed it before descending upon the other male, a sly look in his grey eyes as he looked into the crimson ones of the other.

"I'm proud. If they would have heard words of that nature in No. 6...you'd be dead."

He said the last bit as if he were telling some sort of funny joke before leaning in close. His lips almost touched the others as a smile tugged at the corners of his mouth, but quickly he caught himself and thought twice about the dangerous action he was about to commit, pulling away. He tousled Shion's white hair in approval and fell onto the bed beside him, wet strands of hair clinging to his face.

He tossed the book back to him and glanced up at the other his eyes leading back to the snake like scar that wrapped around his body longing to trail it with his fingers. Trace it across his cheek and around his neck...down his collarbone and chest, dipping into the hollow of his stomach to lead to his hip bone he would follow that damnedable snake...he would trail it with kisses over the smooth white skin of his stomach, passed his groin...

He gulped more loudly than he had intended to and covered his face with his arm to regain his composure.

"Do you want me to make you food, or is it too late for that? We could sleep if you're tired, or I could teach you something. It's up to you. I'm done with work, so I'm entirely yours."

Before he could say anything more, Nezumi had snatched up the novel and began to quote an excerpt from the prose. He listened with rapt attention, becoming easily enamored with Nezumi's narration. It had always astonished him how eloquently Nezumi could deliver a line of text with such diction and vivacity. Internally, there was a fluttery sensation of admiration teeming in his chest, making his heart pound.

Entranced with awe, he barely noticed how close Nezumi was until their lips were mere centimeters apart. He gasped when he realized he was staring into those hypnotizing eyes of silver, his breath hitching.

What Nezumi said sounded something like a compliment, and it made him feel ridiculously flattered. He inhaled and exhaled softly to quell the giddy nervousness that bubbled up his stomach, smiling calmly.

There was a voice in the back of his mind ordering him to close the distance, to lean in and kiss Nezumi deeply. The courage he summoned came just a second too late, as Nezumi retracted after ruffling his hair. The tender touch of Nezumi's hand upon his head left him pleasantly silent and yearning for more.

He regathered his thoughts as he sat up against the bookshelf, seeing the composition laying in his grasp in front of him, but unable to apprehend at the moment. Absentmindedly, he combed his fingers through his hair, brushing the spot where Nezumi's hand had been.

When he turned to chance a glance at Nezumi, their gazes met fleetingly. Quiescence flooded the stagnantly cramped room. Unsurprisingly, it was Nezumi who disrupted the quiet. Even after Nezumi had looked away, he couldn't prevent himself from continuing to study his consort.

Could something be bothering him? He frowned out of curiosity and concern, debating whether he should ask or not. He reasoned with himself that the other was possibly lethargic from the day's excursions. Not wanting to pry, he scoped for an interesting topic he could bring up.

He failed to do so before Nezumi spoke again, and felt the need to repeat what he just heard.

"Entirely mine?" he mouthed the words, the taste of the implication zestful. Inwardly, he chastised himself for almost getting the wrong idea. But was it? He fought off the blush that dared to warm his face.

"Ah! No, I'm not that hungry, don't worry about it. But have you eaten yet? If not, I can help..."

His gaze drifted off towards the exit and landed on the piano. Quirking a brow, he was reminded that it was even there to begin with. Since he was once an Ecology major, he never ventured to the Music department at the institute he attended. This piano Nezumi had in their home was the first one he's ever seen up close. Of course, he had no idea how to play any kind of instrument, but now he wondered if Nezumi was knowledgeable. He was hardly skeptic, but opted to inquire anyway.

"Hey, Nezumi...Can you play the piano?" he questioned, looking back at Nezumi with an eager glint in his eyes. He smiled shyly. "Can you teach me?"

His ears flushed red slightly and a sly smile played over his lips as he heard the words he had just said echoed through the air.

"Yes...entirely yours. Since I'm being so generous tonight, I'll let you read into that any way that you deem necessary."

He stared up at the ceiling memorizing all of the little cracks in the foundation as he listened for Sion's response. What came out of his mouth amused him tremendously. His eyes lit up as he sat up and stared at the other with something that merged both delight and mock horror.

"Well, you never disappoint. You're telling me you've never played the piano...?"

He rubbed his forehead thinking about it and spoke out loud.

"No, of course you haven't. You're from six...you most likely haven't even seen one before. Am I right?"

He said the word six as if it were poison in his mouth. When he didn't get an answer his lips turned upward and he excitedly grabbed the other boy by the wrist with one quick movement pulling him over to the piano bench and sitting him down.

"Okay, well, you're in for a treat then."

He opened the piano and ran his fingers over the keys in thought before looking at Sion and shaking his head.

"This isn't going to work this way...you can't learn music from books, you have to do it yourself."

He grabbed the other boy by the waist and pulled him onto his lap, trying not to show his interest with their close proximity. Quietly, he fit Shion's fingers over his own so that they neatly rested on top and he put their hands on the keyboard taking a deep breath.

"Now the first thing I ever learned...and the first thing they usually teach you is Für Elise, by Beethoven. It's repetitive, redundant...easy to learn. You catch on quick so you should be able to play the beginning of it by the end of tonight...the opening at least."

He trailed their fingers over the keys slowly playing the opening of Für Elise.



His smile grew as he watched Sion's fingers dance on top of his own over the keyboard.

"Before long you'll be playing things like this..."



He smirked and ran his fingers quickly over the keyboard.

His expression then calmed and he looked genuinely happy. Unconsiously he rested his chin on Shion's shoulder and his eyes half lidded as his finger movements slowed and new notes flowed out.



"But...my favorite, is anything by Debussy."

He replaced their fingers so that Shion's were under his...so that Shion himself would be playing the piano with his guidance and closed his eyes as he began playing Clair de Lune.



There was something both sad and joyous about his expression and he filled his lungs with the scent of the boy on his lap. When the song was over he stopped abruptly and let his hands fall to his sides glancing at the other as his mouth fell open and then closed again, as if he were going to say something and then stopped himself.
He smiled slightly, genuinely as he looked at the albino moving his hands to just rest on his hips so he wouldn't fall off the chair and shrugged slightly.

"You're incredibly smart, I figure you'll be playing stuff like this without any trouble at all."

Just hearing about the fallacious utopia made his skin crawl and his blood boil. His neck throbbed painfully as if it been pierced with a gigantic stinger. Although he knew it was all psychological, he unconsciously touched where the serpentine scar began. The smile that adorned his features had faltered, but he tried to cover it up with a sheepish chuckle.

Nezumi was right. It was true that his fingertips never once flitted over a set of porcelain piano keys.

An average piano had 36 black keys and 52 white ones, for a total of 88. Pressing said keys would move hammers that strike strings inside, making a sound. The first piano was invented in 1709 by some man named Bartolomeo Cristofori, who lived in a country that was once called Italy. In theory, classical music is believed to help with brain development in infants. Some studies also show that music can be very therapeutic.

Numbers, statistics, definitions. That was the extent of his knowledge.

Ergo, he didn't protest when Nezumi dragged him to the seat. He was hungry to learn more, and not just the practical facts he had been taught. With Nezumi, he anticipated a real hands-on experience.

When Nezumi's hands were on him, he felt a different kind of excitement that flushed him to the bone. He took a breath and concentrated on the lesson, keeping his eyes focused on the movements of their entwined fingers. He laughed softly at the gentle melody they had sired, a caress to his ears. As expected, he found it quite easy to memorize the notes.

However, the next canticle had stunned him beyond belief. The tune was uppity and untamed. He watched with veneration as Nezumi's slender fingers clamored wildly over the keyboard.

"Wow..." he gasped, giving Nezumi an incredulous look. "You're really good with your hands..."

He had meant it as a literal compliment, but it took him just a fraction of a minute to realize the innuendo. He blushed and spun around, fixing his gaze back on the keys.

In an instant, Nezumi changed the tempo to something tranquil and very lovely. His stiff shoulders relaxed and his eyelids became heavy with sleepiness. A serene smile formed over his lips. Nezumi's cheek was brushing against his. All he would have to do is turn his head slightly, and then...

The next aria was difficult to describe. Lost in thought and deluged with emotions, his eyes became glossy as he allowed the music to carry him away. It was subtly poignant, melancholic, and enchanting. There was an acute difference between learning about the structure of a musical piece, to actually letting it enliven you.

It was Nezumi's voice and the feel of his hands grazing along his hips that awakened him from the ensnaring trance. He placed his own hands on top of Nezumi's, wrapping his arms around his waist. The cacophony of his heart beating rapidly was like a symphony in and of itself. He looked into Nezumi's eyes and wondered if the other could hear it.

"Thank you," he said simply, staring earnestly. "I...No. You play really well. It's remarkable." He wiped away a stray tear.