Disclaimer: Tsubasa is not mine. No duh

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

XTRA STRONG

The first thing Fai realised when he woke up from passing out, was that he had no idea why he had passed out. In fact, he could hardly remember anything at all.

All that he could was the amazing odour of mustard, a not unpleasant pressure on his face, and an immensely strong taste of mint in his mouth.

And his head hurt. It really, really, hurt.

He looked around him. The room he was in was dim, and he couldn't see very well, but he didn't have to because he just remembered why he had smelt mustard.

His best friend, Kurogane, always smelt like mustard for some reason – he couldn't think why, but it wasn't a bad smell, it was actually a really good thing to smell of – so he must have been with him just before he passed out.

Anyway, the reason why he didn't need to see – and why mustard was important – was because he could smell it now, quite strongly. So he figured he must be in Kurogane's bed, which was some where he had – quite desperately – wanted to be most of his life.

But he knew Kurogane didn't feel the same way...

Fai heard a noise at the door to his best friend's room and he looked up. Someone was at the door, but the light from the other side of the door made a silhouette and he couldn't see who it was.

Then who ever it was spoke in a deep voice "You're awake..."

Kurogane.

His crush walked over to his bed and sat down beside Fai, causing the soft, warm duvet to shift slightly.

"Are you okay?" Kurogane placed his warm hand over Fai's and squeezed.

Fai gazed into the dark red eyes of his crush, smiled and nodded slightly.

Kurogane looked to the floor and a hot tear rolled down his cheek and he watched as it splashed onto the floor boards, like a tiny piece of glass shattering into a million pieces.

Fai squeezed Kurogane's hand in response to this and smiled softly as he looked up into his friend's bright blue eyes... eye, that was new... just one...

"I... I thought you were gonna die." he spoke in a way that was unusual for his classmate. He sniffed as another tear drop landed on the bed. "Do you... remember what happened?"

Fai shook his head sleepily.

"... oh... uh... well, you're alive, right?"

Fai stared at Kurogane with a confused expression. What did he mean?

"...Kuro-sama... what happened to me?"

Kurogane looked at Fai. His once beautiful face was battered and beaten and showed the tiredness he felt. His once flowing, soft hair was tangled and greasy, and what made the whole image worse were the blood stained bandages that covered the left side of his face.

He Hated to see him like this, and he wanted to kill who ever had done it to him. He just wished that he knew who it was. If only he hadn't stopped at the shop to buy mints, then he might have caught them.

Of course Kurogane had strong suspicions about who it might have been. That part was obvious, but he needed to prove it. If Fai didn't remember anything that had happened, then he couldn't verify.

"Kuro-sama?"

"...the thing is..." he spoke as if he would regret what he was saying "...the thing is, I don't know what happened. I got there too late, I should have been faster, I should have..." he trailed off.

Fai's eyes had widened. He wasn't surprised that Kurogane didn't know what had happened, he was surprised that his friend was blaming himself for what ever had happened. He had never seen him like this before, and he didn't like it.

"No matter what happened, Kuro-sama, no way was it you're fault."

"I saw them running away..."

"Really?... who was it?"

Kurogane looked at Fai apologetically, and placed his other hand over Fai's as well.

"...I... I don't know that either... but I've got bloody good idea."

"Who?"

"You know who I mean. That bastard Fei Wang and that Kami damned gang of his!"

Fai could see that Kurogane was beginning to shake, and he knew it was because he was getting angry. "Kuro-rin, calm down." his eyes moved to a tube-shaped bulge in his shirt pocket.

"Kuro-wan, what's that?"

Kurogane looked at him quizzically.

"in your pocket." Fai pointed with his free hand, but regretted it as soon as a stabbing pain shot up his arm. He hid this from his friend because he didn't want him to worry any more than he already was.

"huh? oh." he dug his hand into the pocket on his chest and pulled out a large, green packet of 'xtra strong mints' and showed it to the smaller boy.

Mints.

All that he could was the amazing odour of mustard, a not unpleasant pressure on his face, and an immensely strong taste of mint in his mouth.

Fai put two and two together and got...

"You... kissed me..."

four

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

what did you think? The whole thing just came to me as I was walking home today and eating mints.

Is mustard a stupid thing for Kurogane to smell like? I couldn't think of anything else more suitable.

Please review.