Akira lay in Shirogane’s arms and wondered if humans, or shin for that matter, could purr. He felt like he wanted to try. The sun had gone down, but the air was still clear and warm with spring, and Shirogane’s hands were just that comfortable bit warmer as they slid up and down his back and over his shoulders.

"The shadow in you is thinning," Shirogane murmured against his hair.

"I know." He’d actually been holding onto it with teeth and toenails, and he wasn’t sure how much longer he could hold the change off. Perhaps… perhaps now would be a good time to do something he’d been meaning to. Akira leaned back a bit to look up at Shirogane. "I’m still yours."

Shirogane’s mouth quirked and he cupped Akira’s cheek gently. "Two years ago you’d never have been able to say that without blushing, if you managed to say it at all."

"Two years is a long time."

Shirogane’s smile turned more real. "You’re still young, to say that."

Still-faint memory stirred in Akira’s mind and he tugged Shirogane down against him, arms sliding around him. "So," he said softly in Shirogane’s ear. "I can say it now. Take me while you’re still my master."

Shirogane’s hand tightened on his nape. Silent tension curled and sang through the air. Finally Shirogane let his breath out.

"I’ve never been your master, regardless of our contract. I hope you know that."

Akira smiled. "I know." He’d just needed to hear that Shirogane knew, too.

"Aggravating creature," Shirogane grumbled. He leaned up on one elbow and looked down at Akira, smile wry. "To answer the question you don’t ask: Yes. I wanted you to be my shin, to stay my shin, because I love you."

This time Akira did blush, eyes wide, old memories and experience or no. Shirogane softened, gathering him close again. "Yes, Akira. I do. I have."

"Thank you," Akira whispered, holding Shirogane tight. He could feel light and shadow turning inside him, shifting, and the rising light pressed words from him. "I love you. I am yours. I always will be yours. Shirogane, please…" He needed Shirogane to accept this.

"Akira." Shirogane took a breath. "Ryuuko. You know I’m also yours."

Akira gasped as change spilled through him, the fine layer of difference between one side of a mirror and the other. When it faded he and Shirogane lay entwined, rei and shin, and he moaned softly with the relief of feeling it again. Shirogane’s breath was quick and light against his neck.

"I’d almost forgotten." Shirogane pressed against him, fingers sliding up into his hair. "Ryuuko… Akira…"

"Either. Both. It doesn’t matter," he whispered. "Oh, it’s been so long…" Even the sudden weight of the boundary against his power didn’t matter in face of being able to feel Shirogane’s shadow clearly. For a while they just lay together, hands stroking over each other, but finally he stirred and said, "You agreed that I’m still yours, didn’t you? Show me." When Shirogane stirred against him, startled, he murmured "Please," again, coaxing.

Shirogane’s shoulder shook with laughter and his eyes were bright as he pressed Ryuuko back and settled over him, both hands carding through his hair. "Evil creature," Shirogane murmured and kissed him, deep and slow and possessive.

Ryuuko moaned softly into the kiss. Shirogane really only needed the tiniest encouragement, and he did want this. After so long apart, he wanted very much to feel his counterpart’s touch.

And nothing made Shirogane more himself than being high-handed and possessive.

Shirogane kissed him more and more fiercely, the veil he usually kept over his aura these days stripping away to leave it bare and wild and sharp against Ryuuko’s. He spread his hands against Shirogane’s back and moaned out loud as long, strong fingers opened his body.

"Mine," Shirogane breathed as he slid into Ryuuko. "You’re mine, Ryuuko, always mine."

Ryuuko laughed breathlessly, body taut with the rough heat of Shirogane’s thrusts, delighted with the raw power of his counterpart in his arms. "Forever," he answered, husky.

Shirogane fucked him hard and slow until they were both panting for breath, both straining toward the edge of pleasure, light and dark twined so tight they almost broke each other apart. The heat of Shirogane’s hand on his cock pushed Ryuuko over the edge with three fast, demanding strokes and he pulled Shirogane tighter against him, groaning as fierce heat wrung his whole body. Shirogane held on, watching him with burning eyes and if Ryuuko had had the breath to laugh again he would have. Instead he rocked up to meet Shirogane’s last, wild thrusts and watched him in turn as his head tipped back, lips parted.

"Beautiful as creation," he murmured, drawing Shirogane back down to him, and got a hard kiss in return.

"As if you should talk," Shirogane murmured into his mouth.

A soft shiver ran through him as their old, old teasing settled into his memory, old and new, and joined them. "Thank you," he whispered.

Shirogane smiled at him, sweet and soft and true, the way almost no one ever saw. "Because I love you."

End