This new world is not extraordinary in any way. Technology is not so advanced as in Piffle, there is no magic, no beasts that fight by people's sides. It is hard to imagine that there is any great power here at all.
Fai and Kurogane sit at a table outside of a deli while Syaoran and Sakura (with Mokona hidden in tow) speak to the owner inside, asking for information. Kurogane stares out into the street, watching people pass by, causing people who meet his gaze to take a couple of steps out of the way to avoid their table.
"Ah, you really should stop that," Fai says. He presses his index finger into the point where Kurogane's eyebrows crease. "It'll stick like that, and then you'll scare people even more." Kurogane swats away his hand without looking.
"There's nothing here," Kurogane replies, ignoring the comment. "It's too peaceful. The pork bun must have brought us to the wrong world."
Fai rests his chin in his hand and looks into the street as well. "I admit it is strange that Mokona hasn't sensed anything yet… but this isn't the first time something like this has happened. We just need to trust Yuko-san, I'm sure." Kurogane clicks his tongue, and Fai lets out a chuckle. The words "trust" and "Yuko" are probably not often used in the same sentence with him.
"It is quite a beautiful world, though, you must admit." Fai cups his chin in both hands and absorbs himself in watching passerby. It really is beautiful. A wide river, crisply blue, cuts through the main street, branching off into the side streets; people ride in man-driven boats along it, getting off and on when they reach their destination. Ivy lines the cobblestone, weaving up along bridges and houses, bursting into displays of pastels from flowerboxes. The buildings are made from brick, worn shutters in white or green or pink chipping here and there to revel the lines of age in wood. The sound of shop bells chiming mixes with humming bees, people laughing in a punctuated rhythm, the click-click-click of bicycle wheels turning. Trees reach up through the small gaps in between houses. It is pleasantly warm, and when a breeze carries through, it brings with it a tint of ocean salt and sends flower petals drifting and falling in piles like fresh spring snow.
"What do you think, if you could never go back to where you came from, wouldn't you want to live somewhere like here?"
Kurogane finally breaks his glare with the rest of the world and frowns at him while quirking an eyebrow, a feat that Fai always finds impressive. But Fai is suddenly surprised. The frown fades, and Kurogane looks away again. The light reflecting from the river casts something in his eyes, but not soft. It is deep, and contemplating.
"It depends. Unless you're at peace with yourself, would a place like this be someplace you could be happy?"
The smell of earth and warm bread suddenly mixes with the scent of flowers as the shop door opens with a jingle behind them. Fai pushes aside Kurogane's serious answer and turns to greet Sakura, who runs up to them with a map in her hands and a smile on her face that completely overwhelms the serenity of their surroundings, or at least Fai thinks so. Syaoran follows a pace or two behind, trying to discreetly push Mokona back into his book bag while holding a bag of fresh bread out of reach.
"Shopkeeper-san was so nice! He helped us read the map, and while we were talking his wife gave us some bread she just made! We tried to pay for it, but she wouldn't take the money." She beams again, but then looks a little worried. "It was strange though, both of them somehow knew our names…"
Syaoran smiles at her, "I think it'll be all right, Princess." Turning to the rest of them, he takes the map that Sakura offered to him and spreads it out on the table. "The country we're in is called 'Wayside'. There's a legend about a mountain that I think we should look into, it's off here into the East."
Kurogane leans over the map. "That's not more than a day by foot—you can see the mountain from here."
Syaoran nods. "The shopkeeper said that there's a place just outside of town that lets people rent horses, and it would be even shorter to cut through a path in the forest instead of going around it."
Knowing that Kurogane and Syaoran won't need help figuring out travel plans, Fai turns his attention away and again to the town. Kurogane's response is in the forefront of his mind. Being at peace… each of them still had their own troubles, even though on the outside they seemed like a happy family. For them to keep travelling peacefully like this, surely that wouldn't be allowed to continue for much longer, would it?
On the other side of the river, suddenly, a familiar face catches his eye; a cheerful smile that can't be mistaken for anyone else's.
Sakura, pushing a bicycle with a basket filled with vegetables and bread and cheese, looks behind her and laughs, calling out to someone. His arms full of paper bags, Syaoran wobbles along, trying to peer around them to see where he is going. The heel of his shoe catches a protruding vine and he stumbles, a bag almost falling out of the crook of his arm. Someone reaches out and catches it: Kurogane lifts the burden from Syaoran and carries it close to his waist, using his free hand to adjust the cap that had fallen into Syaoran's eyes. Someone laughs. Even from so far away, Fai can see Syaoran's cheeks grow red. Kurogane gives a strict but somehow warm smile, and Fai feels his chest tighten when he sees the owner of the laughing voice.
As Syaoran turns to catch up with Sakura, Fai watches himself emerge from behind Kurogane's tall form. He switches to Kurogane's free side, the one without a bag, and takes ahold of his arm without hesitation. Kurogane does not pull away, or frown, but instead smiles again, and Fai smiles back. There's nothing held back. No aversion of eyes, no emotions buried away. He, Fai, the other Fai, strokes Kurogane's arm and plays with the tips of his fingers as they start walking again. Fai is not sure if his chest is tight with pain or happiness, they seem to be the same emotion as he watches himself leave.
"Fai-san? What is it?" Sakura's voice, suddenly so close, not from the other side of the river like he expects, brings him back.
He turns, and she is next to him. She is there, and she is across the river, they all are. But Fai doesn't know how to explain, so he shakes his head, and smiles. It feels bitter compared to the smile he, the other him, gave moments ago. "Oh, I'm sorry, are we going now?" Sakura giggles.
"You must really like it here Fai-san," she says. "I really wish we could stay longer… everyone here is so nice."
Fai hums in agreement. "It really does seem like the kind of place where you could be happy."
Kurogane looks up from the map, and Fai meets his eyes for a moment, then looks back to Sakura. "Still, if we have to get going, we should head out before it gets dark!" Sakura and Syaoran both nod, and they get up from the table.
They head in the opposite direction of their counterparts from this world; only Fai looks behind. He can see their backs retreating, Sakura still wheeling her bicycle, Syaoran walking much more steadily now. The other Fai says something to Kurogane that elicits a grin and a playful shove, something Fai never thought he would see. Fai walks slowly, watching for as long as he can, and then he smiles and turns away. This world may not be extraordinary, but it is their world to be happy in.
Maybe, with time, they will find their own.
So somehow I wrote this after thinking "Hey, what if I write something based off of a Souseki quoet?" Hmm... My thought process leaves a bit to be desired.
Mokona doesn't appear much, I feel bad! I tried to include him a little even though he doesn't have any lines.
I was listening to a Future Soundscape track on repeat while I wrote this, it had a pretty calming feel to it. I give a hint in the fic.
Hope you enjoyed~