Sometimes, Akira really wondered what Kou thought he was doing.

Aya stalked off down the street, muttering, "Complete asshole, you’d think he’d learn…" Kengo trailed after her at a respectful arm’s length, trying to say calming things.

Kou hauled himself out of the pile of rubble where he’d landed and got a grip on Akira’s shoulder before he could follow. "Hey, Aki."

"Mm?"

Kou glanced at Shirogane, paused halfway between Akira and Aya, and now looking back with raised brows. Akira sighed and waved at him, and he leaned against the nearest wall, hands folded on his cane, ‘I am very patient’ practically printed on his forehead. "Yeah?" Akira asked Kou.

Kou looked at him, serious. "He’s taking you to bed, isn’t he?"

Akira couldn’t help the way his eyes widened. "How did you—?"

Kou’s smile tilted and he tapped the side of his neck. "He marked you."

For just a breath, Akira was drowned by a moment of sense-memory, of Shirogane’s tongue sliding along the edge of his collar which was the only thing he’d been wearing at the time, of a bright tingle of heat that made him moan.

He took a deep breath, face hot. "Yeah. And?"

"Hey." Kou shook his shoulder gently. "I get it. It’s only natural." He sighed. "I just worry about you with him."

"Why?" Akira looked up at Kou, half entreating. "Kou-nii, what happened, with you two? Why don’t you want me to trust him?"

Kou’s mouth tightened. "As long as I’ve known him, Shirogane’s been an ice cold, arrogant bastard. Everything has to be his way. And now he’s made a contract with you." Kou’s eyes were dark. "Makes it a lot easier to control everything, including you, who should be his counterpart."

Akira thought about that. Finally he said, softly, "He wants to be in control, yeah. He wants to be the one who knows what’s going on and calls the shots. But…" he looked up, "that doesn’t mean he always gets to. And he’s always made sure I was all right."

Kou looked at him for a long moment and finally smiled, wry, fingers running through Akira’s hair and ruffling it gently. "Always thinking the best of people."

Akira blinked; that wasn’t how he would have described himself.

"Okay. I’ll try to trust you to deal, even with him." Kou turned him and gave him a gentle push. "Later, Aki."

"Yeah. Later," Akira said, a little distracted.

Shirogane waited for him and turned to walk beside him without a word.

They were home before Akira finally asked, "You heard all of that didn’t you?" He didn’t know how, because Shirogane sure looked like he’d been out of earshot, but he was pretty sure.

"Yes, I heard every word the insolent brat said," Shirogane answered in such a pleasant tone it put a chill right down Akira’s spine. "Though I suppose," he added a moment later in a more reassuringly normal way, "that he has a point. You always did know how to deal with me."

He was looking at the bookshelf like he didn’t see it at all and Akira’s mouth tightened. "I did?" he asked, pointedly.

Shirogane started and really looked at him. After a long moment his lips curled up with what looked like genuine amusement. "Yes," he murmured. "You do."

It caught Akira by surprise and he just stared, not moving as Shirogane crossed the room and took Akira’s face between his hands, lifting it. The kiss was slow, gentle, coaxing and Akira was clutching Shirogane’s coat by the time he released him.

"What…" he had to clear his throat. "What was that for?" That wasn’t how Shirogane kissed when he was feeling territorial, which was more what Akira had been expecting.

"For being you." Shirogane pressed another kiss to his forehead.

Akira looked up at him. "You’re really weird sometimes, you know that?"

Shirogane chuckled. "Yes."

Akira let himself be gathered close. He wasn’t positive exactly what Shirogane had just really said, but he thought it was something good.

End