Shion woke to the sound of zippers. Two of them, in fact, one sounded close to the floor and off to the right - suitcase. Another a few minutes later, coming from the doorway - jacket.

The white haired boy sighed curling further into the blankets as he reached his hand across the sheets to Nezumi's side.

He knew he wasn't there, the older had gotten up early to pack because he refused to do it last night like Shion had told him to.

Shion gripped the sheets before he heard Nezumi walk over. He reached out, uncurling the boy's fingers from the sheets and lacing them with his own before leaning over him.

Placing his other hand down on the mattress to simultaneously hold himself up and box the younger in.

Nezumi leaned down, pressing a kiss to Shion's temple. "Hey, I've got to get going. I want to be on the road before the sun comes up, I've got a really long drive. Come on, gimmie a kiss."

Shion hummed opening his eyes as he turned his head. It was still very dark outside, he couldn't see the clock on their nightstand from this position and all he wanted to do was drag Nezumi back to bed so he could sleep. "What time is it?"

Nezumi chuckled a little at the boy's sleepy voice and leaned down to kiss his nose. "Four thirty, now give me a kiss. I still have to stop and get gas before I can hit the highway to make it out of the city."

Shion hummed again before tilting his head up just enough to press his lips against Nezumi's.

The older kissed him slowly, savoring every second because he knew he wasn't going to be able to kiss these lips again for three days.

Well, two nights at least.

Shion made a small noise when they parted, squeezing Nezumi's hand in his. "You promise you'll call me when you get there? I'm worried about you leaving this early, we got in kinda late last night, Nezumi."

The boy was right. They actually didn't get in until way after midnight; they had decided to go out and spend the night together since Nezumi would be leaving the next morning, and they both ended up losing track of time.

Shion had apologized over and over before Nezumi told him if he didn't shut up then he'd just leave now and sleep when he got there.

And Shion definitely didn't want to sacrifice their last night together, so he did in fact shut up.

"I'll be fine. And yes, your majesty, I'll call you when I get there." Nezumi smiled again before leaning in to capture Shion's lips one last time before straightening back up and letting go of the younger's hand.

The white haired boy shifted to Nezumi's side of the bed, burying half of his face in the other boy's pillow as he watched him grab his suitcase with just one eye open.

"I love you," Shion called, his words half mumbled into the pillow, and Nezumi turned his head, humming as he smiled to himself.

"I love you too. I'll call you." He whispered before slipping out the door, making his way out of their little house and to the driveway to throw his suitcase in the trunk of the car before getting in to start his drive.

His very long, six hour drive to a small theater he had come across while traveling before he returned to Shion.

He'd worked there a few nights while he stayed in the town, and had given the owner his cell phone number before he left just because.

He'd told the owner where he was going, back to Shion, back to no.6, and wasn't expecting a call.

However, when he did get one not even a week ago, Nezumi had jumped at the idea of taking up a lead role in a small original production they had been setting up.

Nezumi only had four days to memorize his lines, and he'd spent countless hours, both day and night, rehearsing and learning the stage cues.

If he had more time then he wouldn't be leaving so early today, but both Nezumi and the owner had thought it would be a good idea to get there before the show started so Nezumi could do his final read through with the actual cast and not just Shion.

It was going to be fun, original pieces were always fun, Nezumi couldn't remember the last time he actually had fun while acting.

Of course, he enjoyed every show he did, but enjoying something and having fun while doing it we're two different things.

He was almost.. excited? Which was.. different; the last time he was exited was two years ago, while standing outside of the bakery Shion's mom owned at two in the morning. Trying to decide if he should pick the lock on the front door and risk setting off an alarm or just climb through Shion's window.

He ended up doing neither, Karen had coincidentally came downstairs to the kitchen to get a glass of water and almost beat him to death with a rolling pin before Nezumi was yelling out "Wait! Ow! Wait! Stop! I'm Nezumi! I'm not here to rob you, I'm here for Shion!"

The older woman had gasped, reaching out to apologize. "Nezumi? Oh my god, honey, I'm so sorry, you can't just scare me like that. Are you alright? I didn't hit you too hard, did I? Come inside, I'll get you some ice."

Nezumi stepped through the front door, rubbing the top of his head where Karen had hit him while footsteps descended the stairs.

"Mom? What's going on? Is everything alright? I thought I heard-" Shion's words had fallen short when he rounded the corner leading to the kitchen.

There he was, leaning against the counter as Shion's mother pressed an ice pack to his head, whispering apologies and fussing like she always did when someone got hurt.

It took Shion a minute to comprehend. His mother, Nezumi, the ice pack, the discarded rolling pin on the counter.

Shion's eyes glassed over, he couldn't believe it. It had been four years since he'd last seen Nezumi, and now he was here, in his kitchen, he'd met his mother, and she was babying him just like she babied Shion anytime he got hurt, no matter how many times he told her she didn't have to fuss over him since he was older now.

"Did-Did you try to break in our house?" Were Shion's first words. Not a 'hello', not a 'where have you been', not even a 'why did you make me wait so long?'

And Nezumi laughed, and so did Shion and Karen did too as she shook her head. "You boys don't stay up too late. Nezumi you're welcome to stay, but my son has to get up very early tomorrow to help me open the bakery. After that, you can have him all to yourself, so don't keep him up too late."

Nezumi nodded, thanking her for the ice pack and allowing her to give him a hug before they said goodnight and she retreated back upstairs with her glass of water.

Nezumi had stepped closer to Shion, who seemed to be glued to his spot, and held his hand out. "Shall we go up, your majesty?"

Shion couldn't help it, he started crying, ignoring the hand held out to him as he threw himself against Nezumi's chest.

It was a lot to take in. Shion always knew his mother would treat Nezumi like family, but seeing the two of them interacting so easily, on top of the fact that Nezumi had returned, was very overwhelming.

Nezumi hummed softly, wrapping his arms around the boy's shoulders as he held him just as tightly as he had the night he left. "I'm back, Shion. I'm here." Was all he said, and Shion cried harder.

"I know. I know you're here, I-I just- It's just a lot." Shion had managed to get out between his sniffs and hiccups.

Nezumi pressed his lips to the boys hair, closing his eyes as they stood there. He let him cry, knowing it would put him to sleep easier. Shion always knocked out after crying, even if he only cried for two minutes, he still passed out.

Shion eventually calmed down and Nezumi lifted his lips from the boy's hair as he slowly maneuvered them towards the steps. "Come on, let's go to sleep. We can talk tomorrow."

Shion nodded, taking Nezumi's hand as he lead them upstairs and down the hallway to his room.

The next day, they talked about their relationship, how long Nezumi was going to stay - which, to Shion's relief, had been "as long as you'll have me." - and living arrangements before Nezumi convinced the boy that they should move in together, that it wouldn't be fair to crowd his mother like that.

They talked to Karen after she closed shop for the day, and she cried, then Shion cried, and Nezumi was the one overwhelmed this time, but he was able to calm them both down rather quickly after he promised Shion's mother that he would make sure they came over for dinner at least once a week.

They looked for houses the next day.

—

Shion answered his phone as soon as it rang, he was at the bakery, but he wasn't up front, he was in the back, cleaning up from this morning's rush when Nezumi called.

"Hello? Nezumi it's almost noon, are you alright? You still have rehearsal, and you've been driving for seven hours and you didn't get that much sleep last night-" The older cut him off.

"Shion, calm down, I'm perfectly fine. Listen, I just got to the hotel. I don't have rehearsal until two, the show starts at eight, I have time for a quick nap before I have to drive again. Don't worry." Nezumi smiled to himself, entertained with how worried the other boy was.

Shion let out a sigh, humming as he set down the dish towel he'd been using to wipe the counters. "Okay, good, sorry. Please, actually take a nap."

Nezumi scoffed. "I'm going to take a nap, Shion. Not even I would risk having to yawn on stage."

Shion rolled his eyes and chuckled a little bit. "Alright, I love you, I hope you rest well."

Nezumi smiled and hummed. "Alright, I love you too."

Shion gasped before Nezumi pulled the phone away from his ear. "Wait!" He said, maybe a bit too loud.

Nezumi hummed again, letting the boy know he was still listening and Shion smiled again. "Kiss me through the phone."

Nezumi pushed his eyebrows together. "What?"

Shion chuckled. "You heard me. Kiss me through the phone, like this." And Nezumi heard shion make the most obnoxious 'mwah' sound ever.

Nezumi laughed, shaking his head. "You've got to be kidding me."

"I'm definitely not. Now come on, kiss me back, Nezumi. I have to finish cleaning the kitchen so I can go home." Shion replied.

Nezumi sighed, silently thanking god that he was already in his hotel room and hadn't called the boy in the lobby like he had originally planned when he got there.

The older pinched the bridge of his nose, cursing himself as he made the sound, grumbling afterwards about how ridiculous Shion was and how embarrassing he could be sometimes.

Shion chuckled over the phone. "You love it, I know you do."

Nezumi scoffed. "Yeah, yeah. Maybe I do. I'm hanging up now."

Shion laughed again and called a quick 'I love you!' before the dial tone rung in his ears.

Two minutes later he got a text. "I love you too."

—

Nezumi lost his phone.

More specifically he dropped it, in one of the sewer gates outside the theater when he got out of his car.

"Shit. God damn it." He sighed, rubbing his hand over his face as he immediately thought of all the voicemails and texts he would be getting from Shion that he wouldn't be able read or listen to.

It would be okay, he didn't have time now, but he knew there was a pay phone about a block away from the theater, and he was sure his hotel room had a phone in there somewhere.

He'd have to wait to get home to buy another phone seeing as he didn't know much about technology and it was Shion who had gotten him this one, even thought he said he didn't want one, just to keep in touch.

Anyway, it would be alright.

He'd call Shion immediately after the show tonight and explain what happened.

Maybe Shion would even buy him another one before he got home in two days.

—

It was eleven twenty six when Nezumi was finally able to call Shion from the pay phone a block away from the theater.

He hadn't expected it to be so late but the show didn't end til ten thirty and he still had to help clean up before he could drive down the block, park, wait in line for the phone and finally get into the booth.

He put his quarters in, dialed his boyfriend's number and waited as he listened to the ringing.

One, Two, Thr- "Hello?" Shion's voice came through the speaker and Nezumi sighed in relief. He was almost worried the other had gone to sleep when he saw how late it was after getting into the car.

"Hey," Nezumi said, just thankful that the call went through. That Shion had answered it. The older didn't know if Shion was going to pick up for an unrecognized number at eleven thirty at night but he was glad he did.

"Nezumi? Who's number is this? Why aren't you calling off your phone? Is it dead? Can you not charge- Did you forget your charger?" Shion accused, making Nezumi roll his eyes.

He sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose. "Would you calm down? I dropped my phone in the drain outside the theater. I'm using a pay phone. It's late, or I would have called you from the hotel phone, but I've still got a fifteen minute drive back and I didn't want to keep you up or wake you if I waited."

Nezumi heard the younger boy sigh, probably shaking his head too. "Nezumi, we just got you that phone. How the hell did you drop it in the sewer?"

"I don't know, it just fell in there! Sorry, it's not a big deal, I can buy a new one." Nezumi grumbled, rolling his eyes.

Shion sighed again and Nezumi heard the jingle of a pair of keys. "No, it's fine, I'll get it. You've got your car payment coming up, don't worry about the phone."

Nezumi scoffed, pushing his eyebrows together. "Well, don't go now. Shion, it's late, go to sleep. You can get it tomorrow, or we can go together when I get back. It's not a big deal."

"Nezumi, I have work tomorrow and mom wants me to stay for dinner. She doesn't want me to have to eat alone like tonight since you're not here. I can't go tomorrow. And I want to have it set up before you get home, the first time I let you help me set your phone up it took a whole hour. I just want to get it done."

Nezumi huffed, shaking his head. "Well, at least wait until tomorrow to set it up. Like, tomorrow night or something. I don't want you staying up just to do that. You've got an early morning tomorrow and you're going to be out all day, you don't need to worry about that tonight."

"Alright, yeah. I'll set it up tomorrow after dinner." Shion sighed and Nezumi heard their front door shut as the younger left the house. "How was your show?" He asked.

Nezumi smiled a little bit. "It was good. I enjoyed it, the cast is nice too. I had a good time, it sucks they're only doing a weekend showing."

Shion hummed, Nezumi heard him start the car. "That's good, I'm glad you had a good time. Do you think they'll call you again? Would you mind driving back up there?"

Nezumi thought about it for a minute. He wasn't sure the owner would call him for regular plays, he had a feeling this was just a special occasion. "I don't know, not for regular shows, but maybe they'll do something like this again next year. I wouldn't mind the drive as long as it's a few months ahead. I definitely wouldn't drive this far again anytime soon though."

Nezumi smirked. "Besides, if there is a next time, you're coming with me. I almost regret not letting you come, I would have loved for you to see this show."

Shion chuckled. "I helped you rehearse, silly. I've basically already seen it a hundred times.. It probably is a lot better fully produced though. I wish I could watch it too."

Nezumi smiled again, humming. "Alright, look, there's a line starting to form behind me and I've still got to drive back to the hotel so I'll call you after tomorrow's show and then I'll see you when I get home Monday."

Shion smiled again, bright as he turned into the parking lot of the closest electronics store that was still open at almost midnight. "Okay, I love you."

Nezumi hummed. "I love you too."

"Kiss me through the phone." Shion said, and Nezumi could hear the stupid smile he was definitely supporting through the line.

Nezumi gripped the pay phone in his hand, biting his lip. "Your majesty..."

Shion whined. "Come on, please?"

"There's a line, my dear." He said, trying to use as many sweet nicknames he could think of to try and deter the boy from making him embarrass himself in front of these people.

"Nezumi, you act on a stage in front of hundreds of people. Surely a little sound isn't going to embarrass you that much." Shion said.

Nezumi groaned rolling his eyes. "I also don't stand on stage making kissy sounds at the audience, but okay, whatever, anything for you, Shion. I'm going to kill you when I get home."

Nezumi closed his eyes, as if that would save him from the embarrassment he was about to face, and made the sound. A little 'mwah', and cringed when he heard a few chuckles coming from the people standing in line behind him.

Shion smiled again, parking and turning off the car. "Thank you, my love. Mwah. I'll talk to you tomorrow night."

Nezumi hummed, sighing as he shifted so he could easily slip out of the booth after he hung up. "Mhm, yeah. I'll call you tomorrow. I'm hanging up now."

Nezumi hung the phone back up on its hook and stepped out of the booth, looking down to avoid catching the eyes of anyone who had just witnessed that as he walked to his car.

Damn that kid.

—

The next night, Nezumi called the boy from his hotel room. Even though it was now eleven fifty eight and he felt bad for making him wait so long.

"Nezumi, this better be you or I'm going to absolutely lose my mind on whoever's calling me this late." Came Shion's sleepy voice and Nezumi smiled to himself.

"Sorry, my prince. Just wanted to call and let you know that my show went well and I'll be home in the afternoon. Go back to sleep, I'll see you when you get off work." Nezumi said lightly, not wanting to talk too loud and wake the boy even more.

"Kiss me." Shion mumbled, and Nezumi could see it, his face smushed into the pillow, the blankets pulled up to his chin with his hair a mess.

Nezumi did not argue this time, unable to when Shion sounded this tired. He knew he'd probably gotten home late with having to stay at Karen's for dinner and all.

"Mwah. I love you, Shion. Get some sleep."

Shion hummed tiredly. "Love you, Nezumi. Mmmwah." He mumbled again, stretching out the kiss as he closed his eyes.

Nezumi chuckled, humming as he whispered one last goodnight and hung up before laying down himself.

They both had to get up early tomorrow. Shion for work and Nezumi so he could drive home.

He missed that boy, even if he was unbearably cheesy.

—

When Nezumi got home the next day, it was nearing one o'clock. He'd gotten up around the same time he left the first night but for some reason there was a lot of traffic going out of the small town that day.

He unpacked as soon as he got in before changing his clothes and making his way back out the door so he could go meet Shion at the bakery.

He knew he was going to get scolded for going over there as soon as he got home, but he wanted to see Shion. It had been two incredibly long days without him and he wasn't going to sit at home and wait almost a whole third day when he could drive to the boy in less than five minutes.

Karen greeted him when he walked in and he gave her a quick hug before passing her at the counter to go find Shion in the kitchen.

The white haired boy was bent over, taking a tray of something that smelled very strongly of blueberries out of the oven when Nezumi walked in.

"Shion." Nezumi called, wanting to wrap his arms around the boy, but he couldn't very well do that when Shion had a very hot tray in his hands.

Shion jumped a little, muttering a curse before setting the tray down on one of the counters.

He tossed his oven mitts next to it before turning around, eyebrows pushed together. "Nezumi, you scared the shit out of me. I almost dropped that entire tray of cookies. What are you doing here? Did you just get back? Why aren't you resting? You drove seven hours, you should be resting."

Nezumi rolled his eyes, walked over and pulled the boy into his chest. "Always full of questions. Rambling them at such a speed I can't even get my answers out."

Shion chuckled, shaking his head as Nezumi locked his arms around his waist. The younger slid his around Nezumi's neck, leaning up to kiss him sweetly. "Are you going to answer them? Or are you just going to make fun of me?"

Nezumi chuckled this time and shook his head. "I wanted to see you. Yes, I just got back. Again, I wanted to see you."

Shion smiled, humming as he pulled the older boy closer to him. "Well." He mumbled. "You've seen me."

Nezumi scoffed, chuckling again as he leaned his forehead against the younger's. "So I have."

He kissed the boy again, pressing their lips together firmly as he held onto his hips.

"I missed you." He whispered when Shion pulled away.

Shion hummed, pecking the other's cheek. "I missed you too. A lot. It was very lonely at our house without you."

Nezumi swayed them a little. "Don't worry, you're definitely coming with me next time. I'll never make those stupid kissy noises again."

Shion laughed. "Aw, come on, they were cute."

"No. Never. Do you know how many people laughed at me that night?" Nezumi laughed a little as well, not being able to hold it in while Shion was laughing.

Shion shook his head, giggling still. "No. I don't. I bet they loved it though."

Nezumi smiled and rolled his eyes. "Never again. I'll just give you real kisses from now on."

Shion hummed, smiling too as he tilted his head up a little. "I'd like that."

And Nezumi did, he kissed him, and didn't even pull away when Karen walked in, not even when Shion was struggling, turning bright red from embarrassment.

Karen just laughed, shaking her head as she told Shion to take his boyfriend home so he could rest, that she could handle cleaning up by herself.

"Are you sure?" Shion asked, pulling away from Nezumi to walk over to his mother. "I can stay, it's not much."

But Karen just waved her hand and shook her head. "Go on, I'll see you in the morning."

Shion nodded and they told her goodbye and that they loved her before leaving the bakery.

"If you kiss me like that in front of my mother again I'm going to make you sleep on the couch." Shion said as they walked towards the car, making Nezumi laugh.

"Revenge, your majesty. Just revenge."