Note; Hello, readers -w- This is my first attempted story. I'm sorry if it's bad, but it should get better later on. This will be a story with hopefully three or four chapters (I can't call it a miniseries, with the long chapters). Well, enjoy - read and review, please!
Warnings; Not a KuroSyao fanfic. Sure, I don't mind the pairing, but this is a father/son relationship. Later on, there will be KuroFai. If you don't like shonen-ai/yaoi, please – don't read.
Disclaimer; I do not own Tsubasa.
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The smog-filled, rusty-tinted city's inhabitants moved slowly and tiredly through the ruined streets. Suddenly, there were loud screams of 'The world's falling apart!', and 'The sky is splitting open! They are going to destroy us!' The news spread around the destroyed city quickly, and soon everyone was running around rapidly.
A teardrop shaped hole opened in the sky, and slowly lowered itself down to the ground. The minute it touched the bricks and stones, it burst open and dropped a man clothed entirely in black onto his stomach, his face turned to the side and his eyes shut tightly in pain. A blonde-haired man wearing a black trench coat-type coat, along with black skin-tight pants dropped into a sitting position on top of the other man, his single blue eye glaring daggers at the back of his head.
The two other figures, a brown-haired girl and boy, landed unsteadily on their feet. A white creature dropped silently onto the boy's shoulder, as he raced over to the two men, and dropped to his knees beside the one on the ground. He placed a hand on his shoulder and shook rapidly as the blonde stood swiftly and hurried over to the girl, taking one of her hands in both of his. The blonde then escorted the female down the street, neither of them giving the other two a backwards glance.
The boy watched them leave with a passive look on his face, before returning his attention to the raven-haired man on the ground in front of him.
"Wake up, Kurogane-san. You don't have to worry about arguing with him right now – Fai-san has taken Sakura-hime to find a hotel… I think." He murmured softly, ignoring the pestering eyes that stared at them from every direction. The man immediately rolled over and sat upright, his eyes shooting open and remaining in a half-lidded state.
The bystanders shrieked in shock at the demonic eyes that glared aggressively at them, and immediately fled the scene. Kurogane watched them go with an emotionless look on his tanned, handsome face.
"Thanks, kid. Anyways… Manjuu, do you sense a feather?" The man's gruff voice cut through the thick, heated air as he forced himself to his feet. He was beginning to regret wearing so much black in such heat…
"Mokona can sense something… Mokona thinks it's a feather, but Mokona can't tell for sure…" The white creature mumbled uncertainly, and stiffened as a small hand patted it on the head.
"It's alright, Mokona. We'll just search for a while, and see if we can find the feather. You're a big help." The boy smiled at the creature, whose eyes filled up with tears.
"Syaoran… Thank you…" Mokona cried, clinging tightly to his neck.
"Alright, alright. Enough with the sappy crap." A rough voice interrupted them, and Syaoran and Mokona couldn't help but laugh. Kurogane's red eyes tinted with irritation at this laughter, and he narrowed them.
"What are you laughing at?" He hissed benevolently. Mokona just grinned widely and pointed at Kurogane with one stubby paw.
"You."
"Why you little-" The ninja began in anger, one hand reaching out to enclose the creature within its grasp when someone cleared their throat impatiently, interrupting them.
"Are you three coming?" Fai asked in a cold voice, narrowing his single eye in annoyance. Syaoran's smile faded instantly, and his amber eyes stared back into Fai's eye with distrust. Kurogane did not even look at Fai – instead, his head snapped to the side, and he leaped backwards as an arrow landed between him and the boy.
"Kid!" Kurogane's voice cut through the air as another twang sounded, releasing another arrow in their direction. Syaoran was too slow to avoid the hidden attack, and the arrow struck him in the left side of his hip. Red liquid spotted dark on the fabric of his shirt, and his amber eyes widened in shock.
"Syaoran!" Mokona held on tightly to Syaoran's neck as the boy stumbled back. Fai stared on with indifference showing in his prominent eye, but inwardly his stomach was churning. Even if he did not trust this boy, it did not mean that he wished for such pain to be inflicted upon him.
There was a raucous cheering from those hidden in the shadows, and they made a move to advance forward to finish Syaoran off when a glint of steel appeared in the dim lighting.
Kurogane had slammed his left hand down on the hilt of Souhi, and his thumb shoved it out of the hilt. The people shrieked and fled in terror, tripping and sprawling over one another in their haste to escape. The brown-haired boy's legs chose that moment to give way, and he collapsed backwards onto the ground.
A large hand took hold of his wrist before he struck the ground, and the boy was grimly reminded of the time that his clone had collapsed in the country of Recourt. Mokona hopped from Syaoran's shoulder onto Kurogane's soundlessly, staring in worry at the boy.
"You alright, kid?" Kurogane muttered, his red eyes narrowing once more on the injury that the arrow had inflicted.
"F-Fine." Syaoran replied in a soft voice, shifting painfully. He gave a not-so-subtle wince, and reached down to pull the arrow out.
"Here, I'll get it." He glanced up in shock at the tall man, as a tanned hand grasped the arrow.
"Take a deep breath, and hold it." Kurogane warned, and the boy was quick to comply. The man gave an experimental tug, before counting to three in his head and ripping the arrow from Syaoran's hip. The brunette gave an uncharacteristic yelp of pain, attempting to curl up on himself.
'Great… I can't lift him onto my back, because of where the wound is… I have to carry this kid…' Kurogane thought to himself silently, furrowing his brow.
Syaoran flinched as he felt the blood continued to pump slowly from his wound. As he closed his eyes tightly, he heard a 'Feh' from in front of him, and he was tugged up into the air, and settled against something warm and moving.
"Stay still, or it will take longer for the blood to clot and your wound to stop bleeding." Syaoran's eyes opened, and he gazed uncertainly up at Kurogane's stoic face. He was nestled comfortably in the man's arms, like a father would hold his son.
"… Thank you, Kurogane-san." Syaoran murmured, as his eyes dropped shut and his breathing began to even out.
"Let's go, we've wasted too much time." Fai muttered quietly, starting off down the street. The ninja glared at the back of his head, before shifting the kid uneasily in his arms and starting off down the road.
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"Ah, it's you again… Yes, you and your friends are in room one-oh-seven." The man at the counter stated in an almost bored voice, pointing to the stairs. Fai nodded his head politely, and started off in the direction of the stairs. The secretary for the hotel raised his head, and stared in fright at the red eyes that glowered back at him.
"C-Can I help you…?" He asked in a voice tinted with desperation, and began to slowly wring his hands in a clearly unnerved way.
"Do you have a first aid kit." Kurogane asked bluntly, quirking an eyebrow in cynicism.
"Y-Yes! Masayoshi-kun, bring the kit!"
"What kit?"
"The first aid kit!"
"Okay?"
"Now!"
"Y-Yes!" The black-haired boy scrambled towards the door at the force behind the man's words, and tugged open one of the other doors in the room. After a moment of rummaging around, Masayoshi returned with the dusty kit in hand. Kurogane snatched it from his hand and turned towards the stairs, casting a backwards glance over his shoulder.
"I'll return the kit later, alright?"
"Take your time, good sir!" The man quivered warily, cowering behind his desk.
Kurogane just grunted in acquiescence and made his way up the stairs, closing his eyes. A presence exited a door nearby to the staircase, and made an impatient noise.
"Come on." Fai's voice sounded from nearby, and Kurogane's red eyes opened slightly.
"Shut it." He snapped vehemently, patience wearing thin. Fai made a small noise before turning away, slamming open the door and stalking inside. The ninja followed silently after, the unconscious boy lying dormant in his arms.
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"So, it is a feather then, manjuu."
"Yes."
"Well, do you know where it is?"
"No."
"It's alright, Mokona. Kurogane and I will go get it."
"But, Fai-san-"
"No buts, Sakura-chan. We're doing this for you."
"What if the thing that has the feather is dangerous? You might get hurt."
"I'll risk my life for you, my princess. If I die, at least it will not be in vain."
Kurogane gave a rumble from his throat, and glanced down at the boy who lay on the couch beside him. As if on cue, Syaoran gave a low groan and his eyelids flickered before opening slowly.
"Take it slow, kid. That injury isn't going to heal if you make sudden movements." Kurogane spoke in a quiet voice, ignoring the conversation going on across the room between the Princess and the vampire.
"Yes, Kurogane-san." Syaoran smiled up at the black-haired man, before sitting up carefully.
"Any lead on the feather?"
"Yes. The mage and I are going to go get it, because you're injured." A flicker of some indescribable emotion crossed his face, and Syaoran winced slightly.
"I'm sorry, Kurogane-san-" The brunette began in an apologetic tone, when he growled deep in his chest.
"Don't apologize. Wasn't your fault." The taller man replied in a short voice, before standing swiftly.
"Kid, stay here with… Sakura-hime." He stated in a dull voice, before turning and striding confidently out the door. Fai and Sakura both stared wide-eyed at the man's retreating back before the door slammed shut. Syaoran sat silently on the couch, his amber eyes staring at the broken down coffee table.
Fai cleared his throat unsteadily, before forcing himself to his feet.
"We will be back soon." He stated before kissing the back of Sakura's hand, and exiting the hotel room.
"Is your wound alright?" Sakura asked in a bland voice, half-expecting the normal polite answer, and half-expecting nothing at all.
"It's fine. Nothing to concern yourself over." Syaoran replied, before laying himself back down on the couch and turning away. Mokona stared at the boy, before switching its gaze onto the princess.
'I miss Kuro-daddy, Fai-mommy, and them…' Mokona thought sadly, tears spilling over its white cheeks. Mokona hopped into Sakura's waiting arms, and sobbed softly into her dress.
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"You're not serious about this – we've already discussed it! The problem was solved!" Kurogane snapped in a clear show of annoyance, casting the blonde a sideways glare.
"I'm dead serious, Kurogane. Why? Do you have a problem with me wanting to risk my life?" Fai retorted smoothly, his tone chilling the ninja's name past the point of recognition. Kurogane gave a not-so-subtle flinch at those words, but his gaze only hardened against Fai's emotional attacks.
"Because every single time you risk your life, one of us has to pay for it!" The black-haired man hissed darkly.
"Every single time, one of us has to give up something so you won't die-"
"Then why don't you just let me die? That way, there's nothing that would make you lose something important to you, and I would be out of your hair." The one-eyed Vampire interjected smoothly, quirking his visible eyebrow cynically.
The ninja gave a low growl from his chest, and he opened his mouth to argue with Fai when a wall blasted out from behind them. Rubble showered down on the two figures, and Fai had to shield his pale face from the shredding pieces of brick.
"W-What the Hell?!" Kurogane leaped back in surprise as wind buffeted his form, and a claw struck down at where he had been standing only moments before. The dust slowly began to clear, and when it finally did, Kurogane felt his heart sink.
The creature that stood before them was a dragon – scratch that. It looked like a mutated dragon – its form was seemingly bloated in certain areas, and thin in others. Overall, it looked like it was combusting from the inside out, and was ready to explode at any given moment.
Fai stared incredulously at the mutated creature in front of him, and felt himself paralyzed – unable to move as that large claw swung for his head, intending to rip it from his frail body with one strike. Something about this dragon felt familiar, and with Fai, that was never a good sign.
Before the claw could reach his flesh, though, what remaining breath he had was forcefully expelled from his lungs as a body slammed into his. Two strong arms were wrapped around him as the ninja leaped up onto a piece of the rubble, and dropped him unceremoniously on the stone.
"Don't just stand there, you idiot! That thing was going to kill you!" Kurogane reprimanded in a severe tone, his crimson eyes glaring daggers at the blonde. Fai just hung his head in shame, his thoughts a muddled mass of confusion.
"If it's coming for you, avoid it. It will do us no good to have you injured, or worse, dead." The tanned man continued, before leaping forward. He drew Souhi in midair and flipped, bringing the sword down on the dragon's left wrist. The creature bugled with alarm, before it cut off into a piercing shriek. The taloned paw fell to the ground, completely dismembered by the long blade. Fai swallowed the bile that threatened to rise in his throat at the black blood that dripped from the amputated limb.
Kurogane landed gracefully on the ground, but he was forced to stumble forward and duck to avoid the other set of claws that suddenly came flying for his head. The dragon was proving to be more intelligent then it appeared, though – its speared tail whistled as it sped through the air, and the side of it struck Kurogane in the chest. The ninja's breath was expelled from him in a painful gasp, and his body was flung carelessly into the rubble.
"Kurogane!" Fai shouted in astonishment, his single azure eye widening as his body froze. He could only watch in horror as his prey's body was sent into the rubble, and pierced a sharp rock.
"Stay back, mage!" The rough voice yelled back, laced with something atone to weariness. His body shook with effort as he raised himself to his feet. Kurogane wiped at his mouth repeatedly – blood was seeping from the corner, and tainted his mouth with a copper taste. The crimson liquid was staining the back of his shirt, from where the rock had pierced through his flesh and struck his spine.
The raven-haired man swung Souhi to meet the claw that came for him next, and a painful grinding noise emanated from the two objects meeting. Kurogane appeared unaffected by the sound, but Fai gritted his fangs and clapped his hands over his sensitive ears. Oh, how he was cursing Kurogane at this very moment.
The claw pushed down on the blade, and the ninja tried to match that show of strength. It proved too much for him, though, and he was sent careening back into the rubble again. The dragon howled in victory, and swung its taloned paw down, one of the claws impaling Kurogane in the side.
"… A-Augh!" Kurogane screamed in pain, blood spurting from the wound as the dragon removed the bloodied talon. The creature roared with delight again and flapped its unnaturally small wings.
Fai's blue eye widened in shock once more, and changed into a molten gold colour with a cat eye slit when the scent of his bait's blood filled the air. He raced forward, the tips of the fingers on his gloves ripping as the vampire claws emerged from them. Said claws lengthened and sharpened to a deadly point as he knelt beside the ninja, staring down at his stoic, emotionless face.
"Kurogane, I-" He began feebly, but the ninja's hand struck him weakly in the shoulder.
"S-Shut it, you st-stupid id-iot. I've decided t-to do th-this." Kurogane forced himself into a sitting position, wincing ever-so-slightly at the pain that erupted in his side. Ignoring the blood that continued to pour from the shredded skin and pool on the ground, he shot forward, swinging Souhi in a wide arc. The dragon's victorious cry turned into one of agony as the blade sliced clean across its underbelly, ripping the small, thin scales from the flesh and tearing easily through the thin layer of skin. Black liquid shot out from the wound, covering the ninja's right arm and part of his injured side in a thick spatter of it.
"Kurogane! Dragons' blood is acidic, no matter what type it is!" Fai's warning came moments too late, though, and Kurogane yelped uncharacteristically at the burning sensation that covered his arm. The flesh that surrounded his large wound began to rot away, until it reached the edge of the acid. In a final ditch effort, Kurogane hefted Souhi up, aimed and then threw it. The silver edge gleamed eerily in the light as it struck the dragon in the left side of the chest, embedding deep within the scales.
The creature gave a horrifying shriek as parts of it began to bloat further, and then explode. A large, seemingly mutated object fell from its chest, and landed on the ground. The disfigured item continued to beat, though it slowed considerably. Fai and Kurogane stared in complete horror at the still-beating heart, until it finally stopped.
Other organs fell to the ground and rotted slowly with a disgusting scent hovering in the musky air. The dragon's tail swung around, and its tip sliced through Kurogane's sword arm, cutting deep into the muscle and severing multiple nerves. The ninja finally let out an agonized scream, dropping to his knees as his other hand flew up to grasp the wound, with his eyes tightly shut in a futile attempt to dull the pain.
Finally, the creature imploded on itself, and the innards destroyed themselves, turning into dust and floating away in the hot, incinerating wind. The sense of danger did not fade from either of the men, though – it remained, and Kurogane cracked one blood red eye open warily. The large amount of scales pattered to the ground like the much-needed rain, and a shadowed figure finally stepped out of it. Fai gawked at the male, his jaw dropping.
"S-Syaoran-kun?!"
"No-" Kurogane began, and the boy's two amber eyes blinked at Fai.
"Yes, Fai-san?" Syaoran responded innocently, cocking his head. He strode easily past the hunched ninja, who was currently struggling over to where his blade lay forgotten on the ground. The blonde's eye reverted back to blue, and he stiffened at the sight of the fancy weapon in Syaoran's hand. At this moment, though, the vampire did not notice that the boy was walking perfectly fine now.
"… Where… How… I thought we left you back in the hotel with Sakura-chan?" Fai began weakly, blinking in confusion. Kurogane had finally latched onto Souhi, and he was struggling to his feet, stumbling in agony towards the other two.
"You did." The amber-eyed boy gave Fai a cold-hearted smile before bringing his arm back. He stabbed it forward, and Fai's eye widened in a complete show of shock. Blood spattered on the rock, the crimson liquid giving the dull grey stone a lively colour as it created a painting of pain.
The sword pierced through one body entirely, and stabbed into another. Kurogane's eyes remained wide, and Souhi was dropped from a nerveless hand. Fai choked and coughed, spraying blood from his mouth as the sword was removed from between his ribcage.
"K-Kurogane!" Fai cried out in pain, his arms reaching out and enclosing the ninja, who slumped against him once the blade was ripped unceremoniously from his muscled body. Thin arms wrapped themselves around his chest as he slowly began to fall towards the ground. Fai lowered himself to his knees, the large body clutched in his arms following him down without hesitance.
"Don't d-die… You're important to the… Kids… And me…" Kurogane's voice faded away, his crimson eyes finally falling shut as his entire body went limp in Fai's arms. The blonde closed his eye, his jaw clenching painfully as he lowered his head momentarily. Finally, something exploded within him, and his head snapped back up, single eye flaring with anger.
"You bastard! I won't let you do this!" He screamed, his eye pulsing its cerulean blue. Fai raised his right hand, and began drawing rapidly in the air. Syaoran dropped the decorated weapon he had stabbed them with, and drew back with his amber eyes wide. His hands were raised in front of him.
"Fai-san, wait! Please don't kill me-" He began quickly, trying not to stammer over his words. It was too late for him, though – a beam of white light pierced through his chest, spattering blood in every direction.
"H-How…" Syaoran began in a hoarse voice.
"H-How did you k-know?!" He thundered, before breaking off into a fit of coughing. The outline around him shimmered, and in a flare of light, Ashura appeared – doubled over – in front of the blonde figure.
"He knew – he tried to warn me." Fai murmured sorrowfully, glancing down at the man in his arms.
--
"S-Syaoran-kun?!"
"No-" Kurogane began, and the boy's two amber eyes blinked at Fai.
--
"He knew. So I figured it out. He said 'no' to Syaoran-kun's name, so you must not have been him – I didn't notice that at the time, though. Ashura-ou, I've finally granted your wish!" Fai's voice raised in tone, until he was yelling with unleashed fury at the black-haired king.
"You did well with that disguise of a dragon - you even made the blood acidic… But, Kurogane has risked his life for me again. Now, it's time I repay the favour – by doing something he couldn't do." Fai smiled coldly at the man who was once a powerful king. Ashura's stone-coloured eyes widened at the blonde as his life's liquid drained quickly from his body, covering the rocks with the slippery copper-tasting liquid.
"I can kill you." Finally, the man's body gave out, and he collapsed lifelessly onto the stones beneath him.
"I'm so sorry, Kurogane…" Fai murmured, his blue eye welling up with tears as he stared down at the unconscious, half-dead body in his arms. Lifting Kurogane in his arms and cradling him – much like he had done Syaoran when the boy had been injured – he started off for the hotel. For once, Fai was grateful for his incredible strength that came from being a Vampire.
He didn't have much time left, if he was going to save the ninja.
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Syaoran opened his eyes and sat up quickly when the door opened. Sakura's jade-coloured gaze moved in the same direction, and she stood up immediately when a bloodied Fai limped through the door, Kurogane passed out in his arms.
"Fai-san?!" The princess could not hide the surprise and fear lacing her tone of voice. The vampire gave her an apologetic look, and started in shock as he felt someone tugging on one of his arms.
"Come on, lay him on the couch." Syaoran limped over and tugged the blanket up, gesturing at the cushions.
"You don't understand…" Fai murmured, tears filling his single, azure eye and threatening to spill onto his cheeks.
"What don't we understand, Fai-san?" Sakura murmured in a soft tone, worry prominent on her face.
"He's… He's half-dead."
"What?!" Syaoran cried out, dropping the blanket in surprise. Sakura's breath caught in her throat, and she clapped her hands over her mouth.
"You can't see it very well, because he's not in the light… Give me a moment…" Fai strode quickly over to the cushioned piece of furniture, and he lay the unconscious ninja down upon them.
Syaoran, Mokona and Sakura all crowded around the injured man, and their breathing became hitched with choked sobs. There was a large stab wound in his side from where the talon had pierced, along with many slashes and other stab wounds from different objects he had been thrown into. His tattered, black shirt revealed many bruises, as well as burned flesh.
"He's not going to make it, is he…" Syaoran sounded disbelieving, and his eyes welled up with tears that spilled over almost instantaneously. The only father figure he had been around in so many years was dying in front of him.
"Mokona. Call Yuuko-san. Now." Fai commanded, his eye flaring brightly with newfound hope. Mokona nodded, concentrating for a moment before a light was unleashed from the ruby jewel on its forehead, and Yuuko's image appeared on the wall. Behind her, there were three teens, and the bespectacled boy turned to face the scene in shock. His eyes zoned in on the one-eyed vampire, and the half-dead ninja.
"What do you wish for, Fai?" Yuuko stated in a monotone voice, her face the epitome of seriousness.
"I wish to save Kurogane's life." Yuuko quirked an eyebrow almost mockingly in his direction.
"I thought you wanted to die? If Kurogane dies, you will die not soon after, without sustenance." The Dimensional Witch explained calmly, and Fai felt his heart drop.
"Please, Yuuko-san!" He choked back a sob, a single tear rolling down his pale cheek.
"Please don't let Kurogane die!"
"Your wish comes with a price."
"I know! Please!" Fai's voice was becoming more and more desperate with every passing moment, for Kurogane's breath was becoming deeper, and every beat of his still pounding heart was slowing.
"Your price will not be permanent, but it will stay for a long time. Kurogane must stay alive for you, otherwise you will die. Now, you will share whatever physical pain he receives, and whatever emotional agony he is going through." Fai's eye widened in bewilderment, and he cocked his head. The hunger that raged within the depths of his mind made understanding anything Yuuko said nearly impossible.
"I don't get it." The vampire said in confusion, blinking at the witch.
"When Kurogane receives a physical wound, you will feel the pain he is experiencing, without the blood or scar. If he is suffering mentally, you will feel his pain. The only way this suffering will leave is when the wounds become pale, white scars – not only the physical ones." Yuuko stated in a mysterious tone, and one of the boys behind her suddenly appeared beside her.
"Aren't those the guys who were here a while ago?" He asked, glancing at Yuuko out of the corner of his multi-coloured eyes.
"Three of them are. The ninja, the mage and the princess. The boy, however, is not the one who was here before – he has left, taking two things that were very important with him." The woman explained with exasperation, frowning at the boy.
"Watanuki-kun, make Doumeki-kun, Himawari-chan and I dinner." Yuuko ordered, and Watanuki stared at her in surprise. There had been some force behind her words, which was odd.
"Uhm… I'll get right on that…" Watanuki stated uncertainly, before turning away and entering the building. The other two teens followed behind him quickly, neither casting a glance back at the projection on the wall.
"Fai, swallow this." Yuuko sighed, pulling a small, golden coloured jewel from a pouch on the table. She tossed it into the black Mokona's mouth, and the white Mokona released it into Fai's waiting hand. Without another word, he threw it into his mouth and swallowed dryly, staring at the Dimensional Witch with a determined look on his face.
"S-Stop, you idio… Idiot…" Kurogane's voice sounded rougher then normal, and Fai glowered down at him.
"You wouldn't let me die; I think I have the right for revenge." Fai snapped viciously, placing a frail hand on the ninja's forehead.
"B-But…" Kurogane began weakly, but it cut off in a gasp as the hand pushed down on his forehead, shoving him further into the hard couch.
"You don't have a choice. Just don't die." Fai turned his attention back onto Yuuko, who was smirking slightly.
"Now what?" He asked, shifting uneasily.
"The price has been received. Now, you must get Mr. Stubborn over there to drink this within two minutes." She held up a bottle between two of her slim fingers.
"If he doesn't… Then the price is negated, and he will die, and you will not have the 'nightmares'." She finished dryly, before tossing the bottle into the Mokona's mouth. It was spit out into Fai's hand, and Yuuko's projection waved slightly in farewell before vanishing entirely. The vampire uncorked the bottle, and knelt swiftly at Kurogane's side.
"Open up, Kurogane." The man remained stubbornly silent, his jaw locked tightly. Fai gave him thirty seconds, before deciding he had no more time to waste. He reached out with his left hand, and pressed hard on the wound between Kurogane's ribcage. The man let out a pained gasp, and Fai upturned the bottle's contents into Kurogane's mouth, watching in satisfaction as the man's lips closed in surprise around the bottle's rim.
The ninja began to struggle – as much as his wounds would allow, that is – and the blonde stood slightly. He threw one leg over the man's hip and straddled him, placing his hands on Kurogane's shoulders. Fai pushed down lightly, shoving the weak body into the couch as the final drops of the liquid escaped down the ninja's throat.
Satisfied with his work, Fai removed the bottle from his mouth and set it on the creaking table, watching the wounds intently. They slowly stopped bleeding out onto the couch, and a small, thin layer of flesh covered over them to protect from infection. Of course, they weren't fully healed, but it was good enough for Fai. Kurogane let out a coughing noise, and his eyes rolled back in his head as he went limp. His breathing evened out as if he was in a peaceful sleep, and his heart resumed its normal pace.
Fai finally thought back to what his price was, and his sapphire eye clouded over as he retreated back into the recesses of his mind.
'A nightmare, viewing someone else's past… I don't want to view painful pasts. It's something I've been afraid of ever since I had nightmares on my past…' Fai absentmindedly placed a cold hand on Kurogane's warm cheek, seemingly staring at him.
Syaoran patted Fai on the shoulder a couple times awkwardly, and with a pitiful glance down at the seemingly asleep ninja, he limped off towards his room. Mokona was resting on his shoulder, the ghost of a smile appearing on its face.
Kurogane wasn't going to die, and Fai didn't appear to want him to, either.
