Note: this is basically just a collection of drabbles, in reverse order, from our favorite ninja's point of view. I subscribe to the belief that though Kurogane says little, we should all be interested in what he doesn't say. This would be my stab at it. The title refers to Kurogane's eye color, and also the color most associated with him (other than black). Why is none of it capitalized, you ask? Because: a) it all takes place in his mind, more or less, or b) I thought it looked better. Take your pick. :)
Disclaimer: I am but a poor student playing with characters not of her own making. So please refrain from suing me. :)
Fair warning: Though the fangirl in me squees at the thought of the eventual adorable KuroganexFai hookup that CLAMP is clearly heading for, I still firmly believe in my beloved Tomogane/KuroTomo/etc pairing. w00t. I actually have another kuroxtomo in the works, but this happened to get finished first. So here you go!
scarlet : routine
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kurogane is a little bit surprised at how easy it is to fall into the old routine of protecting the princess.
of course, there are differences—pure and sugary and luck-happy though sakura is, she cannot even come close to tomoyo, in his mind. not in a million years. she's too—rabbitty, is the word that automatically comes to mind, though he can't imagine why. too cute and too fluffy and just too damn rabbitty.
and of course, too, there's the fact that kurogane thinks that the kid will slaughter anyone else who dares to claim sakura as his princess. whether or not the kid is ready to use hien (and he's not, far from it, but he's learning, it won't be long now). which is all beside the point, anyway.
and the point?
protecting princesses comes all too easily for him. though kurogane knows he is someone who needs a purpose in life, a reason to wake up in the morning, he hadn't realized it'd gotten to be routine. the point, he understands now, is that it's just not the same, guarding a princess who isn't her. in a way, he supposes, the kid would feel the same about tomoyo.
a scowl crosses kurogane's face at the thought. bad enough that she sent him off to worlds unknown. worse to be thinking about the kid—or even souma—taking his place.
not gonna happen, he vows. they've got enough to be going on with, anyway.
in the end, it's good that sakura is here, he figures, so that he can keep in practice. but all the practice in the world—or worlds, he amends with a glower—cannot keep him from longing to return to his princess, to his duty—his purpose for living. as hard as it is to consider, kurogane privately admits it—he misses that tried-and-true routine of saving the princess from the bad guys.
so he'll keep world-hopping. he'll take down the villains and protect the princess—no reason not to, after all. for sure he'll keep an eye on that wizard. he might even train the kid up a bit. but in the end, after all the furor has died down and they've done their part in saving the universe, kurogane knows that he will return to tomoyo, and end his days in her service.
that is, if he doesn't kill her for sending him away in the first place.
.
.end.
P.S. I enjoy reviews, by the way. :)