Kagerou
By SMYGO4EVA
"You can leave at any time." Xing Huo stated, as if speaking to dead air, and not to the magician sitting behind her, his back flat against the wall. It was past two in the morning; neither of them was tired just yet – they didn't have any reason to be tired.
Fai spoke up, his voice "It's Ok – I'm fine."
"Why is that? You don't want to go back to your friends?"
"…That's a good question." Fai responded, his words as slow as molasses. Xing Huo pauses for a moment before asking,
"Are you sure?"
"Yes…" He replied, his eyes downcast towards the floor. "I'm sure."
"You do understand why I'm keeping you here." She said with a grin.
Fai flushed. "Yes," He replied, yet again in a leisurely tone.
Xing Huo blinked. So that was why he was being so distant, so withdrawn from the group, from Syaoran, from Sakura, from Mokona, and from Kurogane. That was why he had strayed.
Continuing, Fai said, "I also understand that you will set me free."
"You really think that."
"Yes. I do. I don't think you're the kind of person who'd do anything to harm me…at least physically." He added after a long pause.
The darkly clad woman didn't know what to make of what he had just said. At first.
She closed her eyes. She smiled to herself.
She looked over her shoulder, staring at the mage inquisitively. "And here I thought I knew what you were, mage…" There was a hint of a grin evident in her voice. "You continue to surprise me."
Fai smiled darkly, an unreadable expression in his eye. "Yes – I do fly around, don't I?
He understood why he had to be away from his friends for a while – if only for a little bit, just until they realized he was gone. He needed some time to think, and for some reason this woman, this mysterious woman named Xing Huo had given it to him. Only this time around, he wouldn't be the only one hearing his own thoughts. This time, she would be listening, and giving her input. Interesting…
For now, they were in the realm of dreams within a dream. And they had all the time in the world.