A/N: I've only read up to chapter 75 of the manga so far.

Night

It was night, and the stars were out. There was a cool wind blowing out of the east, bringing with it the scent of the ocean air. Fai was out on the balcony looking out across the city, and thinking, but his face held a more serious expression, a reflection of his inner turmoil.

"The kids are in bed. Are you gonna go to bed too?"

"I'm not tired yet," Fai replied with a smile, and turned to Kurogane who was standing in the doorway, leaning on the frame. "What about you?"

"Hmph. I should probably go to sleep now... but there's something that's keeping me up. It feels like..."

"Like anticipation," Fai finished for him. "I can feel it too. Mokona didn't know what it was. But anyway..." He came over to Kurogane, and stopped in front of him.

"What?"

"Kuro-pon is so cute when he's anxious!" Fai said with a laugh, and touched his cheek. Kurogane recoiled, but Fai's fingers curled around his neck and behind his ear.

"What do you think you're doing?!"

"Shh," Fai said, and, bringing up his other hand, put his finger to Kurogane's lips.

"What?" Kurogane repeated, this time in a whisper, and Fai tapped his lips and brought his hand away.

"I thought Kuro-pon would be more perceptive," he said quietly, and Kurogane didn't miss the flicker of sadness that crossed Fai's face for just a moment as he looked down. "But we can fix that!" Fai said as he looked up again with a smile and kissed Kurogane on the lips.

Fai had expected to be pushed away, or hit, and he flinched a little when he felt Kurogane's hands grab him somewhat roughly around the waist like he would be picked up and thrown – but he wasn't. Instead, Kurogane pulled him closer, into a bear hug, and Fai laid his head on Kurogane's shoulder, closed his eyes, and smiled.

"I'm not as stupid as you think I am," Kurogane grumbled into Fai's hair as he looked out across the city in the dark.

"Good. I was getting worried there for a while," Fai murmured, and looked up at him as Kurogane's grip loosened up a little.

"We should be getting to bed anyway," Kurogane said, and let him go.

"Is that an invitation?"

"What? No!" Kurogane sputtered, his face turning red. Fai laughed.

"Kuro-pon is cute when he's embarrassed. I don't think I've seen you like that before."

"Hmph." Kurogane turned to go inside, but Fai caught his shoulder with a hand and stopped him. "What now?"

"Thank you."