A/N: This is my first time writing a Tsubasa fanfic. I have missed writing fanfics sooo much! Was fun to write this, won't be my last TRC FF *nods*
For the title blame, Lacuna Coil, DDRHP3 and MTV Classic. Definitely best version of this song is the Lacuna Coil one, but that is just be. This was supposed to be about how Kurogane likes Fai to shut his damn mouth, but turned into something better then that.
Enjoy the Silence.
In Yama, Kurogane learnt a lot about Fai. Instead of focusing on the annoying talking and surface emotions that the blonde tried to show, he could see the real person underneath. Verbal communication was torn away; physical signs were all that they had. Kurogane learned about how Fai worked, though he didn't know it then. Everything the mage did Kurogane was there watching him keenly; the way he moved when frustrated, the way he talked trying to get others to understand him when happy, how silent and still he was when sad. He was there following Fai with his eyes at all times, he tried to make himself believe that it was only because he wanted to look after him, he had noticed the way the other men stared lecherously after all. It wouldn't be right to allow them to take advantage of the idiot.
During the six months they were in the country Kurogane had taught Fai the basics of the language they spoke, it had taken two for them to even reach that understanding what with the miss communication to start off with. However they never spoke much, except for training talk. They were busy fighting, who had time for idle chatter?
After four months Fai had started watching the ninja back, a small thoughtful smile present on his face. Kurogane noticed this and didn't trust that look, he just knew that the blonde was plotting something against him; however no evil plan came about, just the odd silence.
Once they were back with the kids everything seemed to go back to normal, on the surface at least. Kurogane still watched the mage avidly, analysing his every move, noting his inner self carefully. It had become second nature to him. Every day he was falling further under the spell of that body, of that strange mind that he could never work out.
Fai began talking to him strangely, his voice changing from the off-putting chipper pitch to the serious low tones. Though he didn't confuse Kurogane with his speaking, he did find it annoying and unnecessary. With every word he spoke Kurogane could only hear him digging further and further into his grave of lies. As soon as he opened his mouth Kurogane knew not to believe a thing he said. Fai's eyes never lied, the deep blue never shone with the happiness he tried to portray, only showed a veil of poorly disguised sadness.
Tokyo changed everything. When he saw the clone holding the blonde so uncaringly, intent on consuming the magic and life of the annoying idiot, he nearly lost his mind. Everything Kurogane tried to tell himself he never felt came to the surface when he looked at the panting, bleeding mage. All he could do was hold the blonde tightly and wish for him to live.
The words "Good morning, Kurogane," nearly killed him. His eyes, his body, his voice all told him the same thing. But the words lied, he knew what they meant. It was not good morning that they said but goodbye instead.
From that moment on everything changed. There were no more idle words; no more lying movements placed to off put everyone, no more Fai. Something inside of him altered. However Kurogane had the distinct feeling that Fai was actually showing more of his true self then he ever did before. Cold words and even colder looks were sent his way. He was treated with scorn and ignored purposefully, but that only proved to him that he meant something. One wouldn't go out of their way for someone they were indifferent to.
Kurogane never needed to know Fai's past. He had never asked for it. All he had wanted was for the mage to stop lying, to be himself. However after he knew the blondes background he understood why he couldn't be himself, because he wasn't. You couldn't ask someone with an identity crises to simply be them self.
When he saw the defeated, beaten down mage kneeling in the middle of a magic storm he knew something he had always thought he had known. Strength. It wasn't strength that made him lift the mage up, it wasn't strength that made him cut off of his arm to save the other and it wasn't strength that had him pulling the other to safety out of the closing world. But it was something that he learned from all of those events.
Something Fai had taught him. No matter how inadvertently it was.
He looked down at the blonde stick-man laid out next to him. It was only his second night awake in Nihon, after Sakura had been taken they had decided to spend one night recovering before going to get her. It was sometime after midnight that Fai slipped into his room and slid onto his futon without saying a single thing to him. The sad lost gaze spoke more than words ever could.
A single flesh hand reached out and touched the long blonde hair gently, sweeping it to one side revealing the unmarred side of the pale face. Not a second latter the golden eye fluttered open, staring straight up at the ninja. When he opened his mouth Kurogane moved his hand down to cover it.
"Yuui," Kurogane whispered, letting the word hang between them like a prayer.
The gold eye softened. A true smile showing through, as well as an array of emotions that Kurogane had no wish to name. Sliding shut once more the blonde fell back into a gentle sleep. Kurogane removed his hand and settled down next to the vampire, a secret smile gracing his own features.
He hoped that he could learn even more from Yuui.
A/N: In my mind Kurogane would only ever call Fai by his real name, Yuui, again that could be just me. I just think it is more touching and personal that way. (Plus it's not like he ever calls Fai by his name so when he does it should be his name he says.)