'I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Clause'
A Tsubasa Reservoir Chronicles Fanfic
Summary: 'I saw Mommy kissing Santa Clause, underneath the mistletoe last night.' Kurogane-centric
Setting/Warnings: Neh, no-place in particular. Random world, and pretty much any random spot in the early time-line. After they've been together for a while. No spoilers... until the very VERY end. But you don't have to read the little addendum/addition if you don't want. So no spoilers for the main story, but YES for the little few paragraphs stuck onto the end.
Disclaimer: Neh, I don't own Tsubasa. Or Fai. Or Kuro-pu.
Feedback is ADORED, because this is only my second Tsubasa fic, so PLEASE! Feedback! Review!
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"There is NO way I'm wearing THAT!"
That is exactly what Kurogane remembered saying. Explicitly informing both the idiot mage and their kind but excitable host- a young motherly woman by the name of Ana- that he would not in any way be wearing that hideous catastrophe of an outfit. He'd said it. He clearly remembered saying it, and he clearly remembered the mage nodding in agreement, and Ana's sad smile.
So why the HELL was he standing here in the common room at one in the morning, staring at this ridiculous red bag. This had to be the stupidest tradition, the stupidest myth of any world they'd landed in. It was even worse than the ritual mud fights of that one place. Kurogane paused on that for a moment. Okay. Maybe not quite as bad as the ritual mud fights. Because at least this humiliation wasn't as public.
"You know, staring at them won't put them under the tree, Santa-dear," came a voice from behind him. He turned and glared at the mage sitting on the arm of the chair. He didn't bother wondering how the mage had got the drop on him- he'd long since given up wondering how that mage did anything. Instead, he turned his glare back to said tree. A coniferous evergreen, cut and stood up in the corner by the home's front window. Decked out with glittery tinsel and blinking lights and odd and random seeming ornaments here and there between the shiny glass orbs. Even a silver star at the top glittered in the light of the fire-place. All complete with a red felt blanket underneath it, with some presents already there, waiting for their companions from Kurogane's giant, heavy red bag to join them.
With a glare and a few muttered curses about the things he got himself into- or rather the things that idiot mage got him into- he bent down and began to dig through the back, pulling out all the brightly wrapped presents and putting them into their rightful place under the evergreen. A simple enough task, he figured, if it weren't for the complication of this stupid clothing. Thick, plush red material and a floppy red hat, all trimmed in a fake white fur. The top of the outfit had been stuffed with a folded pillow against his stomach and supported with the wide black belt. And they'd even had the audacity to force a fake beard on him! All snow-white and curling. It itched something horrible, too!
Finally, he had emptied his sack and stood up, preparing to leave back out the door, so he could change in the garage and sneak back in the bedroom window. The things I'm forced to do on this journey, he sighed. Tomoyo... I will never forgive you. Not as long as I live!
"But Santa, aren't you going to eat the cookies and drink the milk the children left for you?" The mage asked sweetly, motioning to the plate and glass on the table in front of the couch. "They'd dearly love it if you would."
Kurogane still remained silent, glaring at the annoying blond. The mage was so enjoying this. The laughter sparkled behind those brilliant blue eyes. It was a real emotion, Kurogane thought. This time. This time, the laughter was real. Not fake-cheerful. Not a mask. But it was one of those few genuine moments of Fai that he'd seen. Only... he'd rarely seen a genuine happiness.
Kurogane wanted to pick up the glass of milk and toss the entire thing in the mage's face. But that glimmer of true merriment had him gulping the white liquid instead- getting a good bit into his beard in the process. He sent one heated glare at the mage, as if to say "So, there!" Then he proceeded to pick up a chocolate chip cookie and gnaw away at it, heedless of the crumbs falling into the white synthetic hair around his mouth and face.
He then turned back towards the mage, only to find himself almost nose to nose with the blond. In the brief seconds his mind had focused on the cookies- which were actually not that bad- the mage had somehow crept up on him. And there was a smile on those lips. One that reached his eyes. He glanced up, and curiously, Kurogane followed the gaze.
Hanging, nearly randomly, from the ceiling, was a sprig of mistletoe. Kurogane frowned. He knew what the mistletoe was for. Ana had explained it a few days before, when the kid and the princess had been caught under it, neither knowing what it signified. The kid and princess both blushed ten shades of red, and Syaoran had settled for a quick peck to Sakura's cheek before dashing away. Sakura had only turned redder after that, placing a hand to her cheek. The porkbun and the mage had just gushed at how cute the 'children' were, and Ana had found it endearing, and all of Ana's five kids had begun laughing with amusement.
"Well, Santa," The mage began, his voice quiet. "Rules say you have to kiss me now. Mistletoe and all."
"Stupid mage. I'm not kissing you," he hissed. He didn't want to wake anyone by yelling, after all.
"Why not, Santa-grumpy?"
"Because... It's a stupid tradition. This whole 'Christmas' thing is ridiculous, too."
The blond's mouth dropped open in mock surprise. "But... You're Santa! You can't think Christmas is ridiculous! You are Christmas," he ended in an almost chirp.
Kurogane glared at him, but he only smiled. "And you've got crumbs in your beard, Santa-messy. Here. Let me clean it up for you."
Kurogane frowned as the mage's hand lifted to his face. But instead of picking or brushing at crumbs, the hand held his face still, and those smirking lips lifted to his mouth. A tongue darted out from between pink lips, licking up crumbs. So close to his own lips, but never quite touching. Never quite there, though.
Teasing, Kurogane thought. The damn mage is teasing me. Teasing, daring, taunting. With a growl, Kurogane reached up and grabbed a fistful of silky blond and pulled the mage even closer, tilting his head just enough for lips to connect. It must have taken him by surprise, for the man gasped, just a bit, and Kurogane pressed his advantage, taking the kiss deeper, quicker. He sought out, found, that elusive, teasing tongue. Forced it into a passionate little dance, giving the other just enough room to play, but never giving up dominance.
Finally, after just long enough, Kurogane pulled back and glared at the mage. Crystal blue eyes were just a bit blurry, the other's breath just a bit too quick.
"There's your kiss," Kurogane huffed quietly. He then took his bag and retreated, leaving the mage standing in the middle of the common room.
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Kurogane awakened what seemed like only a few hours later- then realized it was only a few hours later. Children where whooping and hollering all over the house, screaming about Christmas and Santa. Kurogane glared at the second bed in the bedroom that he'd been forced to share with the mage, since Syaoran was rooming with Ana's oldest two kids- fourteen year old twin boys- and Sakura was sharing with the oldest daughter, a twelve year old.
The mage was already sitting up, catching the four year old that had burst into their room with cheering and chanting. With a bright smile- mask firmly back in place, Kurogane saw- he popped the little girl up and onto his shoulders before making his way out and into the ruckus that was happening in the common room.
Kurogane followed quietly and with his customary glare. All of the children were gathered around the tree, having been forced to sit by Ana and the oldest of the twins. Even Syaoran and Sakura had taken seats out of the way, on the sofa. Fai perched in an arm chair, the four year old girl still in his lap. Presents began to be passed around. Some big, some small, some for everyone. Even Syaoran and Sakura were dumbfounded and humbled to see that they had presents. The children had all drew them home-made cards, and four year old Sarah had made Popsicle stick ornaments for them. Ana had gifted Syaoran with a book of their current world's history. Which Syaoran- archaeologist he was- loved, and promptly began reading. For Sakura, their hostess had wrapped a pair of pretty hair clips, which Sakura gushed over and immediately put to use, clipping her hair out of her face.
Kurogane accepted his own gift of a practical and useful pocket-knife with quiet thanks. Fai- who it seemed was more than willing to just forget the incident last night- tried to politely refuse Ana's gift to him of a crystal snowflake of clear-ice blue. Kurogane saw the little flash of slight pain in the mage's eyes. Kurogane had had the thought, once, that the mage's home-world must be very cold, possibly snowy. Because of the mage's tolerance to the cold, and to the ridiculous coats. That barely-there, gone-in-an-instant flash confirmed Kurogane's suspicions. Did the crystal snowflake make him home-sick?
The children around them giggled and laughed and started talking about Santa. It was at that point that the pork bun leaped onto Syaoran's shoulder.
"Mokona saw Santa Clause last night!"
The children turned to him, all gasping in delight, except for the four year old.
"Mokona and Sarah crept down the stairs REALLY quietly," the porkbun said, as if it were a secret. "Really late last night. And do you know what Mokona saw?"
"We saw Santa!" Sarah cheered.
"Mokona saw Fai-mommy kissing Santa Clause!"
Sarah nodded dramatically, and pointed to the ceiling. "Right there! Under the mistletoe!"
Kurogane flushed, before realizing that one of the kids seeing him in that stupid get-up was the plan.
The white pork bun leaped from Syaoran's shoulder to Kurogane's head. "Awww! Is Kuro-daddy jealous of Santa?" She asked loudly. Then, in a quieter voice. "Don't worry, Kuro-pu. Mokona still thinks Fai-mommy likes Kuro-pu best!"
With that, Kurogane flushed even more. "Why do I care who the idiot mage kisses?" He demanded as the children went back to talking amongst themselves and amusing themselves with their new toys and games. Ana walked over and patted his shoulder. "It's alright, Kurogane," she said with a smile. "You two are very important to each other. I can tell."
Kurogane flushed again and began denying anything, and Fai began to tease him, and he began to chase Fai, and it was hours later- after everything had settled down a bit, and Fai had laughingly stolen three more half-kisses under the mistletoe- that Kurogane renewed the vow he made last night.
Tomoyo was NEVER going to be forgiven for sending him on this forsaken journey.
The end! Or... is it?
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Addendum: (Here there be SPOILERS! Up to Fai's epic 'apology' by way of fist to head.)
Much, much later... Kurogane found himself kissing the idiot mage again. Things were a lot different from how they were on Ana's world. An eye and an arm different, he thought. And, he guessed, he and Fai had both changed a lot inside as well.
This kiss wasn't the same either. The last was in response to teasing. It was just a bit rough, a bit surprising, and not at all slow or sweet or filled with... caring? Love?
No, this kiss was soft, sweet, it went on forever. The hair sliding through his fingers was just as silky, but longer. If he opened his eyes, he knew he'd see one crystal blue eye and one black strip of fabric. He and the mage were bound together now. By blood. By Kurogane's choice. And now, by Fai's.
And even later, Kurogane stared at the door of his room, the one through which he knew Tomoyo waited for him somewhere. And down to the slumbering, peaceful mage beside him. The mage without any masks.
Perhaps Tomoyo could be forgiven. Maybe. Eventually.