Me: ok this is the last of the three parts, which may or may not be a multipart story…..depending on how this goes.

Kurogane tucked the letter into his back pocket and walked out of the room and saw Fai sitting on the couch in the small apartment they were in for the time being. They didn't have to switch worlds as fast this time around, so they usually stayed for a month or so, though sometimes longer, long enough for the Syaoran to discover interesting things about the world's history, and for all of them to find temporary jobs. Kurogane ran his hand through his hair as he looked at him, his eyes focused on the small television before him, flipping channels, stopping long enough to look up at Kurogane and lock eyes, then continued on. Kurogane reluctantly plopped himself next to him.

"where uh…" he said stumbling over his words…"where's the kid?"

Fai looked over at him, setting the remote down on his lap, and thought for a moment.

"Something about his work, I think he said they found something."

"Hnn." Was all Kurogane could reply.

Syaoran had been doing archeology in this world for about a two months now. Kurogane held his own down at a small ring down the street, where people would gamble illegally to see if anyone would take him down. Not legitimate work but he didn't care. Fai got a job at a small restaurant only a few block away as a waiter, though Kurogane couldn't stand the thought of other people ogling Fai he would never admit it to the blond.

Kurogane looked around for a moment his eyes searching in vain.

"Mokona is with Syaoran if that is who you are looking for."

Kurogane just looked back at him, before sighing a little.

"You can't be that bored Kuro-chan."

The mage would never know what those names meant to him. Even though she showed an outward hatred toward them, he would never admit that he knew it meant that Fai trusted him. He knew that depending on which one he used, was how he felt. If you really pad attention, it wasn't hard to figure out the blond's subtle signs. For example, he would call him "Kuro-rin" or "Kuro-run" if he was unsure, or scared, he needed Kurogane to know that he loved him. He would say "Kuro-puu" or "Kuro-pyon" if he was covering himself, trying to hide his real emotions to everyone else, but he could never hide from Kurogane. Kurogane had figured them all out. All except one, he didn't understand it, but that wasn't surprising. Fai everyonce in awhile would say something in that language of his, but he didn't understand. He knew it wasn't his name, so he wasn't calling him something…but whenever Kurogane didn't respond in the way he must want he looked so sad. Kurogane had tried everything, he would hold his hand, brush his hair away from his face…and Fai would look hopeful…but it must not be what he wanted. He would figure what it meant sooner or later.

"Kuro-puppy?" Fai asked, giving him a little touch on his shoulder, and Kurogane gave a small smile at him. It was hard for Kurogane to be nice, but for some reason, now more than ever…he found himself smiling at the mage. Not always, mind you…but there were those times. Like when he got out of the shower and his skin was flushed from the water, or when he was watching the sun set out of the kitchen window and the red of it tinted his golden hair…or even when they walked around and something would catch Fai's eye and he would give that big cheesy grin (the real one…the one that showed he truly was happy). Those times, for some reason, he found himself forced to smile at the smaller man.

"Kurogane…" Fai sighed and gave him a pat on his lap and stood up, walking into the kitchen.

"I am going to make some dinner, do you want to help?"

Kurogane blinked, grunted, but stood up and walked into the kitchen anyway.

"Can you get me some milk out of the fridge?"

Kurogane nodded curtly and did as he was told, but he knew that silence behind him, it wasn't normal for Fai to be quiet when he cooked. He turned around, milk in hand to see Fai staring at him.

"What is that in your pocket?" He asked timidly.

"A letter…"Kurogane grunted.

"Oh?" Fai smiled one of those fake smiles…Kurogane glared at him and he dropped it.

"From who?"

"None of your business mage."

Fai was playing right into it. He knew that once he learned that Kurogane had something he wasn't allowed to see or touch that the mage would certainly going to look at it.

"What's it about."

"Told you it was none of your business." Kurogane grumbled again handing the milk to the mage, trying to hide the smirk on his serious face. Then he saw Fai face get a little angry…he needed to bait him a little more, but he was walling headfirst into his trap.

"Can I see it?"

"No…"

Then he saw it flash….and he knew that Fai knew what he was doing. But Fai gave that mischievous grin anyway. He probably thought it was some little joke that they had between them…but he knew Fai would read it soon. There was no joking in this one. Fai turned and finished preparing the meal, and his normal tendencies picked up again. Part of him wonders where he learned this, because Kurogane had never seen Fai do this when he cooked before.

Fai would hum, quiet and unsure of himself, but it was there if you listened close enough. He never knew the song, and he never heard words…sometimes they were different songs…but he always sang. That was another thing Kurogane would never tell Fai…that he liked it when he sang. He had a calming voice, and surprisingly the songs never sounded sad. He supposed he picked it up from that little manjuu or even the boy that the dumb thing called "Watanuki". Fai seemed to like the thing enough to talk to it often, though Kurogane could never fathom why. Mokona was irritating, and Watanuki was always yelling at something or another. Kurogane would just sigh and walk away whenever he heard Fai talking to them.

But none the less there was Fai humming and Kurogane finally worked it up.

"Fai…does that song have words?"

Fai jumped a little, forgetting Kurogane was in the room, and he turned around.

"I, didn't think you were…I mean…um…" He sighed. "yeah."

Kurogane just nodded and walked out of the room. And Fai looked on after him and smiled, softly and shyly, his face blushing. He knew what Kurogane was trying to say but it still seemed surreal to Fai. He turned back to his tsk at hand, onl to hear a loud bang as Syaoran and Mokona burst through the door.

He ran into the living room, only to see that Kurogane had done the same thing, coming from his own bedroom. Syaoran seemed to fuming, and Mokona trailed behind him cautiously.

"What happened Syaoran?"

He only grumbled.

"Kid?"

Syaoran looked up at Kurogane and then looked down. It was unlike him to get so angry about anything.

"Nothing…I just…."He sighed. "I guess I am just getting a little homesick."

Kurogane just nodded and Fai walked over and gave him a pat on the shoulder.

"I know…we will go back soon and stay there for a little bit. But what brought up the sudden burst of anger?"

Syaoran looked up at Fai and sighed again.

"I guess it is just that it is spring and well….I'll be turning 17 soon and Sakura hime's birthday will be coming up…"

Fai grinned like a Cheshire cat.

"Ahh…" he chirped "Young love."

Syaoran turned beat red.

"No it isn't…I mean it isn't like that it's just i…." He said flustered.

"Don't try to hid your feelings Syaoran, we know how you feel toward Sakura-chan."

Then they all couldn't help but look at Mokona, whose eyes didn't leave the ground as she sat by his feet.

"I'm sorry…"

Syaoran leaned down and patted her head and smiled.

"It isn't your fault Mokona, don't feel bad…..besides I know that we will see her again soon." Mokona nodded and smiled.

"I will try my hardest for Syaoran's love." She said enthusiastically, which only caused the boy to blush again. Kurogane looked at Fai, who saw him out of the corner of his eye. They knew the feeling of not being with the one you love.

Only for them it was harder. To be mere inches from that person, but not touching or telling each other….they may as well have been miles apart. Kurogane grumbled and walked back into his room, and Fai heard the familiar sound of a clunk of him grabbing his sword.

"I suppose that is his way of saying let's move then. You never know, the next world may be Clow."

Mokona chirped.

"why don't we eat first, ok?"

The two of them nodded, and Syaoran and Mokona went and began to set the table. Fai let his eyes drop a little and he walked downt he short hall to stand outside Kurogane's closed room.

"You shouldn't get his hopes up like that." He heard from the toher side.

"He needs to at least have hope."

The door opened suddenly. But Kurogane could only stop and look at those sad eyes looking up at him. Sometimes Fai looked a lot like a lost kitten, that you just wanted to pet and love…and it always made Kurogane stop in his tracks, and lose all of his anger. Fai moved closer, until his nose just nearly touched Kurogane's as he leaned down to look at him.

"Kurogane…Avez-vous besoin de moi?"

God it was that question again…he didn't understand why he couldn't ask him in a language that he understood. But with each passing moment, despite Kurogane's not understanding, his eyes began to sadden. All Kurogane knew to was gently cup his cheek, run his thumb over his lips. God he wished he could understand him. Fai just sighed and leaned into the hand, letting one hand come up to touch it gingerly, but then he moved his hand back and smiled one of those fake smiles and bound into the kitchen.

Kurogane just growled and punched the wall, leaving a small imprint where his hand had been and followed him into the kitchen. They didn't talk the rest of the night, even when they were ready to go, they just nodded to Mokona and were off to the next world. And even as they were plopped unceremoniously down, Kurogane said nothing. That is until he saw the shoes right before his eyes, or that is, the body that was attached to them. He sat back and helped the others up, only to return his eyes to the girl in front of them.

"Hello…I have been waiting for you" she smiled.

Ok so I decided to make this story out of the 2 other ideas I had going in my head and changed them both from one shots to being a longer multipart story that I SHOULD be able to finish before I get out of the mood again. OK, please review.