Shirogane stalked down the street, cataloging all the things he was going to do to that insolent sprout of a rei, Kou, just as soon as the current situation had been settled.

"Shirogane?"

Surely Ryuuko wouldn’t begrudge him. Kou learning some respect could only be beneficial to all concerned.

"Um. Shirogane? Could I have a shadow back?"

For that matter, perhaps it wouldn’t need to be mentioned to Ryuuko at all…

"Shirogane!"

He whirled to face Akira, who stepped back, eyes wide. That made him pause. However annoyed Kou made him, he shouldn’t forget himself around Akira.

Especially considering that, even in face of Kou’s obvious distrust, Akira was still here with him. As he should be. Shirogane’s shin, Shirogane’s Child, his counterpart, yes, once Ryuuko recovered his strength, but for the present the only one in two worlds who was bound to him. It was a soothing thought, right now.

"Yes, Akira?" he murmured, reaching out to tuck back a strand of black hair, frustration and anger calmed by the visible proof that Akira was still shin, still his, hadn’t put back on his human form.

"Um…" Akira’s eyes were still wide.

Yes, despite anything Kou might say, Akira was shin. And it was Shirogane he turned to for guidance, knowledge, protection. As it should be. Shirogane’s hand slid back into Akira’s hair, cradling his head.

"Shirogane…" Akira’s voice was husky, now, and his lips parted on a quick breath as Shirogane stepped closer, tipping Akira’s head back.

Akira was his.

Shirogane covered Akira’s mouth with his own, tasting him as he’d considered doing a few times before. It had never seemed quite right, though at the moment he couldn’t imagine why not. The tightness of Akira’s hands in his coat, the quickness of his breath, seemed very right. He wound an arm firmly around Akira and ran a thumb down the line of his jaw, opening his mouth wider and kissing him harder.

Akira was shaking a little, and damned well not ashamed of it. He’d known from the start, without needing Kou to tell him, that Shirogane was dangerous. But the danger had almost always been gentled, softened for him. He’d generally been glad of it, that he didn’t often see what Kou called Shirogane’s "real face". It would make anybody shaky, to deal with that.

But the way Shirogane held him, the way he’d taken possession of Akira’s mouth, was making him hard.

And now he was backed up into the shadows of a doorway, back pressed against the coolness of concrete while Shirogane kissed him until he moaned.

"Hmm." The velvety purr of Shirogane’s voice alone made his pulse trip and he looked up with dazed eyes as Shirogane drew back a little, considering. Shirogane’s lips curled up and he brushed his thumb over Akira’s cheekbone. "Yes."

Akira watched, swallowing against the dryness in his throat, as Shirogane closed his teeth on the fingertip of his glove and drew it off, sharp eyes fixed on Akira. His bare hand moved down Akira’s chest, making him shiver as warm fingers slid inside his shirt. His face was hot; if he hadn’t been red before he was now, and he glanced aside, breathless. "Shirogane…"

"Shh." Shirogane turned Akira’s chin back and kissed him again, fingers undoing his vest and shirt.

And they kept going.

Akira made an inarticulate sound into Shirogane’s mouth as his pants were undone and Shirogane’s hand slid inside. He was hot. He was embarrassed. He was incredibly hard, and Shirogane’s hand on him felt better than anything he’d ever felt before. Shirogane’s arm around him was sure and tight, his grip was strong and knowing, and Akira’d been in Shirogane’s hands anyway for this long… and never been let go. So Akira let Shirogane nudge his legs wider, moaning into his mouth as Shirogane kissed him hard. Akira could feel the satisfaction and possessiveness in it, and it made him flush. Shirogane wanted him. This much. And, hell, Shirogane had always had his way with Akira right from the start.

And that had made Akira hot right from the start.

Pleasure coiled down tighter and tighter as Shirogane’s fist slid over Akira’s cock, demanding, and Akira didn’t care any more that he was half undressed in an abandoned doorway in the middle of the day. All he cared about was answering the fierce demand of Shirogane’s hands and mouth, and the feeling as they moved on him, and the sure support of Shirogane’s strength lifting him up. He groaned as he came, heat rushing through him like a river, shoulders pressed hard against the shadowed side of the building.

Shirogane gentled his kisses as Akira slumped back, arms gathering Akira up against him. The open protectiveness made him blush almost worse than being undressed had and he buried his face in Shirogane’s shoulder. Shirogane chuckled softly, one hand lifting to stroke through his hair.

"It’s all right," he murmured, reassuring. "Everything will be all right."

Shirogane reflected that he’d probably been foolish to let his temper at Kou push him into taking Akira to him this way. The contract was enough complication.

And yet… there was the contract. Ryuuko was rei, and his fellow king, but Akira was shin, of his making. And it was very good to feel Akira burrowed into his arms. Trusting him.

So he held Akira close and saved up the peace and rightness of the moment against the future they still faced.

End