Beyond the Horizon

21. Cornered

Breakfast that morning was incredible.

          Shion had helped himself to nearly half a loaf of bread―toasted and covered in butter. Nezumi could tell he was partly ashamed of his appetite, but Kinako had simply chuckled and told him there was plenty more where that came from.

          Nezumi had eaten more than his fair share of apples and two scrambled eggs that Kinako had set in front of him the moment he and Shion emerged from upstairs. The warm food sat in the pit of his stomach, lulling him into a dull sense of calmness he hadn't been anticipating.

          It had been a good while since Nezumi felt relaxed. And while his walls certainly weren't down, they were much less up than he preferred. Now and then, a spike of paranoia would gnaw through him, reminding him that the world was dangerous and it was meaningless to cling to these fragile moments. This peace won't last.

          When those darker thoughts crept in, Nezumi's eyes drifted to Shion. He looked rumpled from a good night's sleep and ridiculously happy in the Yoshidas' too-bright kitchen, the morning sunlight filtering through the yellow curtains and kissing the edges of his hair. Nezumi could almost believe he'd grown up here, eating breakfast with the Yoshidas every morning while laughing about some subject he'd learned at school.

          "Some damn good coffee, Kinako," Souta piped up, earning him an affectionate elbow in the ribs from his wife.

          "There are children present," she tutted. "Watch your mouth."

          Shion gave them both a tired smile.

          Nezumi ran a hand through his hair. It hung loose around his shoulders, and while it made the back of his neck itch, he didn't feel like pulling it back just yet. Easing the strands around his fingers made him remember last night, after dinner and some light conversation before Shion and Nezumi had retired to the guest room.

          Nezumi had tucked the paper bag inside the pocket of his jacket the instant he and Kinako returned to the house. He didn't think Shion would search his jacket, but anxiety gripped him all the way through dinner. He supposed Shion could sense it, because he'd kept nudging Nezumi with his knee and giving him a reassuring smile.

          I'll just give it to him tonight. It's not a big deal.

          Except that when Shion went into the bathroom to change for bed, Nezumi quickly changed into his own pajamas, dove under the covers, and buried his face into the pillow.

          Shion had emerged sometime after, giving Nezumi's blanket pile a quick glance. "Everything OK there?"

          "Fine."

          The lights clicked out, plunging the room into darkness. The mattress dipped down as Shion steadily climbed into the bed, nestling himself beneath the thick blanket. A relaxed sigh escaped his lips as he settled down, and Nezumi couldn't help the longing that sparked through him. He flinched when the mattress creaked beneath Shion's weight as he shifted.

          A moment ticked by before Shion murmured, "Nezumi?"

          "...What?"

          "Um...can I kiss you?"

          Nezumi unearthed his face from the pillow. His eyes adjusted quickly to the darkness, aided by the pale light fluttering in through the bedroom window. Shion had rolled to face him, tucked on his side with his face half hidden by the plush pillow.

          "Yes," Nezumi replied, and his heart soared as Shion's face lit up.

          It was a soft, chaste kiss, just as that morning's was. A light brushing of lips that could have ended as quickly as it began. Nezumi could taste the flavor of the mint toothpaste Shion had borrowed from the Yoshidas. He couldn't remember the last time he'd tasted mint. He vaguely remembered liking it.