Disclaimer: X/1999 and The Infamous Puddles of Angst belong to CLAMP. I own this story.
Sakura-Angel: Okay, this pretty much came out of left field. I've never thought of writing X/1999 before, so imagine my surprise when I started penning what really could've been Sorata's thoughts, and then I decided that they were Sorata's thoughts, and so I decided to slip in Arashi too. Oy. Sorry if they're OOC, I haven't written them before.
A michevious, wily man balanced effortlessly on a tree branch, doing something little expected of him. He was immersed in his own thoughts.
He was surprised he had the attitude he did towards life - live it to the fullest. After all, wasn't he destined to protect Kamui? Wasn't he fated to die for the one he loved? Why wasn't he mopey and weepy, weak and devoid of hope for his future?
He couldn't say. He remembered the priest - the man he considered his grandfather - phrasing his spirit in an unforgettable way.
You have a life to you. A strong spirit, a strong will. You may bounce back from anything that comes your way. You are not one to despair over a seemingly hopeless situation. Rather, you thrive on it. You perservere, you find another way. It's how I knew you were one of the chosen.
He inclined his head further and closed his eyes, wishing it were true - that he was strong, that he could be one of those heros who laugh in the face of adversity.
The truth was that even he, happy-go-lucky Sorata, was vulnerable to those feelings of utter loneliness at times.
He couldn't show it, of course. He had to be the cheery one to counter the saddeningly large amount of angst the young leader of the Dragons of Heaven seemed to radiate. He was the one they went to when they needed a laugh, it was the kind of support and comfort he was to the group. To everyone he met, really.
His thoughts took a turn. Not that the group was very big yet. So far, there was Kamui, Yuzuriha, himself and...
His head turned subtly in acknowledgement of his stakeout partner, eyes settling on her graceful hand, the one her weapon sprung from.
She was really something, this girl.
She was calm, collected, cold. And she had a rare beauty too.
With that attitude, and that face, she was practically screaming at him to love her, so that was why he decided that she'd be the one he'd die for.
He was bold, instinctive, lively - all the things to balance out her. They were opposites, and that saying 'opposites attract' couldn't have been more true for him.
She sensed his eyes on her and turned to face him. She didn't say anything. It seemed that she was the kind of person who chose to observe rather than speak.
Not so with Sorata. "Bored, huh?"
Arashi's reply came hesitantly, as if she was deciding whether she was bored or not. "No."
Sorata's eyebrows went up and he deftly leapt from his branch to the other Dragon of Heaven's branch. "How can you not be? This is really, really dull."
The young woman blinked and turned to focus her gaze on the path ahead of them. "You cannot grow tired of being alert."
His lips curved into a smile and he said, "That's why I like you."
She turned to face him again, a little confused. "You like me because I am alert?"
"Maybe that's a part of it."
Arashi pressed further, straying from her usual nature and obviously baited by her companion's cryptic words. "Then why?"
He contemplated telling her all that had run through his head in those mere minutes before their conversation, but decided, "It doesn't really matter."
"No?"
Sorata grinned and looked her in the eyes. "Nope. Just that I do."
Sakura-Angel: Ack. How'd I do?