Title: A Common Cold
Author: KB Twilight
Fandom: Tsubasa RERSERVoir CHRoNiCLE
Prompt: 099 "A family is a unit composed not only of children, but of men, women, an occasional animal, and the common cold." -Ogden Nash
Claim: General for Tsubasa RC and xxxHolic
Completed: 3/200
Rating/Warnings: PG/None really, besides implied slash
Word Count: 426
Summary: It took Kurogane a while to figure it out.
Notes: Set in a random pre-Tokyo world
From the other room Kurogane heard yet another dozen sneezes followed by a groan and light laughter. He could hear the mage saying how even though it felt like it, Syaoran wasn't going to die and that he needed to eat his soup.
The ninja glanced to his right where the princess sat, trying to pretend she wasn't worried. She smiled at him weakly.
The world they had landed in this time was peaceful. Featherless and peaceful, it was a good place to rest while the kid got over his cold. When they had decided to stay, Syaoran had put forth the expected objections about how he was "fine" and finding the princess' feathers was more important. The mage had luckily shot him down, saying that he might be "fine" now (he wasn't), but if they went on and landed in a world that had a feather then Syaoran's determination to get it would only make his condition worse. The kid couldn't argue after that, mainly because Sakura put her foot down that they were staying in this world until Syaoran's cold was completely gone.
Kurogane looked up as Fai entered the room, closing Syaoran's door behind him gently.
"How's the kid?" He asked gruffly, but in the softest voice he could manage. The mage smiled and held up the empty bowl and medicine cups in his hands before replying, "Better, he's sleeping." Fai then turned to the room's other human occupant with a gentle smile, "It's late Sakura-chan. You should get some sleep; we don't want you getting sick too."
Sakura blushed as she was not quiet successful in hiding a yawn then nodded. "H-hai. Oyasumi, Fai-san. Kurogane-san." Mokona also yawned, then jumped from his perch on Kurogane's shoulder into the princess' arms.
"Mokona will sleep too." Fai smiled.
"Sleep well you two." Sakura nodded sleepily and made her way down the hall. The mage headed over to the sink where he started cleaning Syaoran's soup bowl.
Taking a sip of his sake, Kurogane frowned. For some reason he felt way more comfortable in the mage's presence than he should have. He almost blamed the sake, and the silence. Fai continued bustling about the kitchen and Kurogane remained at the table, drinking his sake in the comfortable silence.
It wasn't until Fai sat across from him with a mug of hot chocolate and a smile, telling him that the children would probably be fine, that it hit him. The reason this was so comfortable to him. This was the way Kurogane had always imagined family.