Written some time back for clampkink. This is probably one of my first.
Tsubasa Reservoir Chronicle and its characters do not belong to me.
apple blossoms and yarrow
They had been to countless worlds and more bars yet. They should have known to be wary of drinks. Kurogane should have been careful of what he swallowed, but what was Fai to know, when he had to take a quick bathroom break and returned to find his drinking buddy pushing a little empty shot glass away?
He thought nothing of it at first, of course. Slid right back onto his tall, worn bar stool, ordered a blue-white cocktail that he'd spotted a pretty lady drinking next to Kurogane.
Kurogane looked up at him—really looked at him—and something in his eyes shifted. His pupils dilated by a fraction, and his eyelids flickered.
"Fai," he said. That was enough to send Fai's stomach clenching and his heart thudding furiously against his ribs because he'd never, ever heard Kurogane speak his name.
He wished he could hear it again, just once more. Yet, he was also instantly cautious. "What is it, Kuro-rin?"
"You look... different." That crimson gaze dropped to his lips, and his throat was suddenly dry. It was one of those looks they'd played around with in Yama, like children reaching for licking flame and shying away at the last moment.
"How so?"
Kurogane turned away, said quietly, "In a good way."
It was way too good to be true. So, Fai decided that Kurogane was drunk. They both probably smelled like booze at this point, and Kurogane wasn't a silly drunk, anyway. He downed his new cocktail, left a tip with the sparkling glass, and hauled the other man off his stool. "We're going back to the inn."
"I'm not drunk yet."
"Yes you are, Kuro-pon."
Kurogane followed him, kept his arm slung around Fai's shoulders, and while he was paying attention to where he set his foot (around puddles of puke and empty glass bottles), Kurogane reached up, caught a lock of Fai's hair, and brought it to his lips.
He didn't know the significance of that. But it was terribly intimate, and Fai knew he had no reason to feel this giddy, not when the other wasn't fully himself.
x
Kurogane said a great many things that night, all of which Fai knew to be false, so he turned his back on the warrior and slept.
x
The next morning, Kurogane woke later than he did. Fai got them all some breakfast from the bakery next door, and Kurogane's eyes were on him the entire time. Not suspicious, just hot, patient. It was like a heavy weight, a warm blanket.
Syaoran and Sakura left to investigate the rumors hovering about the village. Fai had elected to search for a job, and Kurogane said the same.
Except Kurogane backed him into a bedroom and kissed him.
It was a good kiss. Sweet, soft. Fai's insides were screaming at him to run and all he could think about was the hitch of his breath and the slow burn of desire in his gut. Kurogane's soft lips against his, fingers sifting through his hair, one hand pulling him close by the hip.
Kurogane smelled like soap and clean clothes; he was not drunk. "You're someone important," he said, and it was oblique enough that Fai could bear to believe him.
He wasn't exactly sure why Kurogane was doing all this, what happened to his suspicion, but he treated the children the same, checked his sword and gear like he always did, and attempted to strangle the life out of Mokona.
It was only around Fai that he behaved differently, and as they fell haphazardly onto one of the beds (it might have been Sakura's, he wasn't sure—Kurogane was tugging his shirt free of his waistband and pressing him into the mattress and oh), Fai decided that the details weren't important.
x
It is very, very difficult to harbor neutral feelings towards someone who respects you and bears no judgement in his eyes. Harder yet when you've held begrudging admiration for this person for as long as you've known him, seen the gruffly affectionate way he treats the children you hold dear.
x
Despite Fai's wariness, the change in Kurogane's attitude seemed genuine enough. Undeserved, but a welcome reaction when they fell into bed that night, the next, and the night after.
Kurogane treated him like he was someone to be treasured, like he was worth his time and thoughts, like he wasn't just a convenient lay every other night or so.
He was thankful at first, grateful. For the little whispered words in his ear, the light caresses.
Inch by inch, Kurogane convinced him that he was worthy of being loved (because as much as the other didn't say it outright, it was in his eyes, the way he kissed Fai's breath away from him).
He began to grow hopeful.
x
"Fai-san, don't you think Kurogane-san has been... a little strange lately?" Syaoran said one morning while Kurogane was in the shower. "He hasn't— He hasn't yelled at you at all."
Fai paused in dishing out breakfast, cocked his head to the side. Heat prickled on his cheeks. (This wasn't any of the children's business, now, was it?) "I don't know. What do you think, Syaoran-kun?"
When it was obvious that Fai didn't have anything useful to contribute, Syaoran shuffled closer and said in an undertone, "I overheard that they sell potions at some of the bars here. I don't— I don't think you'd let it slip past you. You're a wizard, Fai-san, but Kurogane-san..."
It was as if he'd heard it through a filter, like the boy's words went from his ears straight to the back of his head. "I'll definitely keep that in mind. We wouldn't want Kuro-pon to be messed up, do we?"
But once he'd heard it, he couldn't forget.
Kurogane's strangeness had begun right after they left that bar the other night, after all. Yet... he showed no symptoms of a love potion that made his affections over-the-top. He spoke quietly, loved fiercely, and he kissed Fai's hair before they went to sleep each night.
Fai decided that he wouldn't think about it until tomorrow. Tomorrow, he'd take Kurogane to a witch doctor.
(It haunted him the entire day.)
He looked into Kurogane's eyes that night and knew, without a doubt, that Syaoran's guess had been correct. It was those red eyes, the little something that hadn't been right about Kurogane. His pupils were a little too dilated, just by a fraction, but now that Fai knew what to look out for, it was stifling. Kurogane didn't love him. He'd drunk a subtle love potion, and somehow Fai had been on the receiving end of his misguided affections.
If Fai could lie to everyone, he could lie to himself, too. He blew the bedside candle out and whispered to Kurogane, "show me that you love me."
Kurogane's kiss was wet and gentle. Fai closed his eyes, ignored the trickle of heat down his cheeks.
x
The witch doctor they saw the next day frowned and shook her head, making little tut-tutting noises. "It's the potion that's been going around for the past few weeks," she said. "Hasn't been banned yet. Makes you fall in love with the first person you see."
"What's the meaning of this?" Kurogane frowned at her.
Fai stood very still, smile pasted across his face. He felt a little dizzy all of a sudden. There wasn't even any good news coming out of this—Kurogane didn't fall in love with him because he trusted him, or because of any admiration he had. Fai just happened to be the first one Kurogane looked at. "Well, then, are you able to cure our friend here?"
"Of course," she huffed. She drew a little vial of amber liquid from a cabinet, handed it to Kurogane. Both of them watched while the warrior took it skeptically, swallowing its contents after some scrutiny.
They had made sure to visit the best witch doctor in town, so Fai, at least, trusted the remedy for the potion. What he wasn't prepared for was Kurogane shivering and darting a dark look at him, eyebrows drawn back into a too-familiar scowl.
"The hell are you looking at?"
He fished out the payment necessary for the antidote, very carefully did not acknowledge the pitying look from the witch. "I was just wondering if you'd faint, Kuro-rin!"
"As if I'd faint from this."
He didn't wait around to find out more—not what Kurogane thought of him now, and most definitely not what Kurogane remembered of the ten ethereal days they'd shared.
"Oi!"
He turned his sprint into a lope, one that looked carefree for how much force he pushed through each step. Far behind, Kurogane followed.
They were back to cat-and-dog chases. The children would be happy that their growly ninja was back to normal. He could (had to) live with that.
Fai wasn't sure how Kurogane found a shortcut, but he did. The next thing he knew, he was grabbed by the elbow, dragged into a small alley and spun around to face one tall, furious warrior. "Don't you fucking run from me like that."
His grin was large and fake. "Why not? Are you tired of chasing me, Kuro-tan?"
"I still remember, you know."
And Fai's breath whooshed out of his lungs in a great, icy sweep. His smile splintered. "Well, I don't blame you if you want to forget that. You weren't being yourself."
He flapped his hand weakly, turned to escape again.
"Fuck. Just stay in one spot for a minute." Kurogane grabbed his arm, swung him around.
Warm lips crashed into his, and the kiss this time was ferocious. It was bruisingly hard and teeth nipped at his mouth, and when he dragged himself away, Kurogane glared at him.
"You were real while I was drugged. Don't think I don't remember."
"Well, that's—"
He couldn't really think of something to say, not after a kiss like that, but Kurogane saved him from a stupid answer. "I don't regret it."
Fai stared blankly. "How?"
Kurogane shrugged, stepped in close. He caught a lock of Fai's hair and kissed it again like he'd done on so many other occasions, and Fai felt his throat tighten.
The warrior turned towards the mouth of the alley, looked back over his shoulder. "Don't need to explain. Are you coming along, or what?"
A/N: Check back Monday for KuroFai Olympic fic! I hope you like this one.. it still remains one of my favorites. :)