Hi! It's my first TRC fic. I just watched the anime and read the manga since about 5 months ago and now I become a big fan of it. The latest chapters were full of angst, so I want to make a fic in which the group finally out from the angst and travel together like the old times. So, here it is, please continue forward.
Walking in a big city alone probably wasn't a good idea. Kurogane was lost and didn't know where to go. Three hours ago they had decided to separate into two groups to find information about the princess' feather. He grouped with Syaoran, since they knew, and could see it clearly, that the princess avoided the boy, and the mage avoided him. He and Syaoran were still together until two hours ago.
Two hours ago they arrived in front of a huge building with big pillars around it. There was a big statue of book that placed right in the center of the garden in front of the building. The statue made them sure that it was a library. Syaoran wanted to enter the library, so Kurogane decided to follow him. The sight of hundreds huge wooden bookshelves that filled with thick books made them gaped in awe. After a while in there, he found out that only the boy who could read the books. So then he decided to leave him to try search for information on other places, and come back there in two hours.
Now Kurogane regret this. He walked so far from the library and didn't know the way back. The street signs there were strange to him, not gave him any clue of where he could find the library. He was too embarrassed to ask people, so he decided to walk on his own and try his luck.
"What's this place?" Kurogane grunted after almost ten minutes walked around. He arrived at a place that looks like a garden. No building around, only trees and flowers. He realized that he never come to this place before, which mean he still lost. He just decided to ask the people around when he saw a blond man at the bridge near there, gazing blankly at the river below. He could certainly tell that man was Fay, since he used a black eye-patch to cover his left eye and dressed in the same clothes as they separated this morning. He walked toward the man.
"Oi, mage!" Kurogane called the blond man.
The smaller man turned his face toward Kurogane. His single blue eye widened in surprise.
"Oh, it's you, Kurogane," he said after look at the man who called him, giving the black haired man his cold smile.
Kurogane could felt a pang on his heart, heard the mage called his full name and gave him a cold smile, something that never happened before that incident in Tokyo. The mage who always tease him with stupid nicknames and always show his warm smile now was gone. He unconsciously stared on Fay's face, searching for a hint of the mage old self. He now must admit to himself that he missed it so much.
Having the red eyes stared at him wordlessly made Fay felt uneasy. "What's wrong?" he asked the taller man.
Kurogane suddenly realized what he was doing. He turned his face aside to hide his embarrassment. "Nothing. Where's the princess?" he asked, trying to change the subject. He found it a bit odd for Fay to be here without the princess.
Fay fell silent for a moment. "She's on the library," he finally answered, which made Kurogane surprised.
"That kid is there too. Do you know that?" he asked the mage.
"I know. That's why I leave her there," he answered. "Moreover, it's her wish too."
Kurogane felt confused now. "Her wish?"
"She wants to talk to Syaoran-kun," Fay told him. "It looks like Sakura-chan finally found her braveness to accept him, even if he just reminds her to the old Syaoran-kun that she used to."
Kurogane almost couldn't believe of what he heard. If that princess finally could accept that boy's existence in their group, then he will be happy for both of them.
Fay shrugged. "I just think…"
"Think what?" Kurogane demanded him to continue his words.
The mage turned his back to Kurogane. "I just think that it's finally the time for them to talk to each other, so they could understand each other little by little. I don't want Sakura-chan and Syaoran-kun to be like that forever."
They fell silent. The mage kept looking at the river, and the other man looking at his back sharply.
Kurogane was the first one that broke the silent. He walked to Fay's side. "Don't you think it's same with you?" he asked. His voice was low, almost like a whisper.
Blue met red. They stared into each other eyes.
The mage's eye showed mixed feelings. Anger, confusion, depression. "No. Please stop, Kurogane. Don't talk about it," he warned the black haired man. His tone was cold.
Kurogane was just about to speak when Fay suddenly walked away. "Hey! Where are you going?!" he asked, half yelled.
"Back to the library."
Kurogane grunted. This mage was really tested his limit. He tried hard not to follow his mind that was so eager to hit him. At least this solves his problem. Fay knew the way back to the library. He followed the mage from behind.
They walked in silence. No one of them had tried to start a conversation, or at least tried to speak. The blond man walked a bit fast, and the black haired man followed behind him. Fay could feel Kurogane's eyes on his back. It made him feeling uneasy, but he didn't want to show it. He won't show his weakness. Not in front of him.
They finally arrived at the library. Fay entered it first, followed by Kurogane behind. They still didn't talk to each other, but both of them knew of what to do. They searched for the kids.
Fay was the first one who found both of them. He saw them sat together on one table. He pointed into their direction to let Kurogane know that he already found them. They walked toward the table.
"Hi!" Fay greeted them and smiled. The two kids looked at him, surprised.
"Fay-san!" Sakura called him, looks worried. "Where are you going?" Then he spotted Kurogane behind the mage. "Kurogane-san!"
"I just want to let you two have a quality time together, so I decided to go around for a while," Fay told her and gave her a wider smile. Both of the kids blushed.
"Glad you're back," Syaoran told the two men after recovered from his blush. "Did you two met accidentally?"
"Yeah, like that," Kurogane answered shortly.
"So then, do you find something?" Fay asked them.
Syaoran nodded. "I find some information that maybe has connection with Princess Sakura's feather. I think we should check it tomorrow."
"Good," Kurogane said. "Do have the note?"
"Yes," Syaoran answered. "Princess Sakura helped me write the information."
Sakura blushed. "It's nothing. I couldn't read these books, so I just help Syaoran-kun with what I can. He read the information and I write them to make our work faster."
"It's good Sakura-chan. You're really helpful!" Fay praised Sakura, made her blushed more.
Kurogane watched them. The boy and the princess now look less awkward. It made him relieved. This also proved to him that a relationship could be started again. A trust could be gained again. If only that mage wasn't that stubborn, he was sure that their relationship won't end up like this. No! It's still no the end! he told himself.
"Let's go back to hotel. Mokona is waiting for us alone," Syaoran reminded them.
They walked out from the library. And for the first time after so long time, the boy and the princess look like they were the kids from the old times, even if it just a little. Syaoran smiled hesitantly to Sakura, and Sakura replied his smile timidly. It's enough for now. Their relationship will be better from time to time. The two adults followed the kids from behind. They watched them and both felt happy for them.
Kurogane glanced at Fay. Now the problem left was that mage. He really hopes that Fay could be free from his past. That Fay could smile again. Not that fake smiles, but a genuine smile that really come from his heart. He didn't know how long it will take, but he was sure that the day would come.
"I won't give up," he whispered, so only the mage beside him that could hear it.
Fay turned his face to him. He didn't understand what Kurogane mean by it. His face showed it clearly. He was just about to ask him, when he saw it.
Kurogane smiled to him. I won't give up. It's still not the end. I'm sure I could change you, like how you had changed me before.