A/N: This is NOT a Kurogane X Fye fanfiction. Sorry to those who were expecting it; there is plenty of that elsewhere. Kurogane and Fye stay up one night and contemplate about the future. The song is "You've Got A Friend In Me" by Randy Newman.
Series: Tsubasa Reservoir Chronicle
Title: A Friend In Me
"Why do you always smile like that?"
He recalled the moment he heard Kurogane whispered those words from the corner of the tall dark room where he could see the black knight glare from his bedside, his heart had collapsed. It was simply an innocent, out-of-the-whim inquiry of his perfect complexion and foolhardy, trademark grin that amazed the women every world they set foot upon. It was alright. Kurogane was much more compassionate than he seemed but this innocent question wrecked havoc upon every emotional barrier he had built.
"Why do you always smile like that?"
He heard the house break into an uproar. A mirror was smashed somewhere and furniture was crushed. Someone tore apart the floors and shattered the windows like a madman—or a demon. Everyone was suddenly alert that some mythical force had easily shredded the mighty force field of ancient manor; it took a magic of great stature to destroy the hundred-year old barrier that guarded the house from any selective harm and foreign spell. The screaming pierced his ears and before he could cover his ears, he could not see where he was.
When the road looks rough ahead
And you're miles and miles
From your nice warm bed
Oops, he grinned an awkward smile within a room void of any light. Perhaps it was once a pantry that housed food. Fye had always loved food even when he was home. He was hungry but denied the insatiable desire to eat. He felt sick, so very sick that he refused to open the door when the cold handle gave a slight turn. None of them could open the door. A heavy weapon landed on the door several times but the wall of knitted, flimsy wood proved to be physically unbreakable. There was a sound barrier he quickly placed upon the room. No one will talk to him. No one will try to talk him out of his circle of misery.
It's alright, he told himself. No one will be able to see Fye in here. No one will be able to see Fye's real face. He laughed at himself and waved his delicate hand into the darkness but could not see it. No one will ever see all of Fye.
You just remember what your old pal said
You've got a friend in me
The only other person that has ever seen him in this primitive state was his own beloved, beautiful creature. She gently embraced him every time with her long, silky arms but she was not here to comfort him. She was a darling creature made to obey and support him. Because of that, her love, for him, held no meaning.
However, he felt the world of misery begin to draw a close when he heard a voice broke through his sound-proof barrier. He knew Kurogane had no special magical powers to pierce through such a shield, and he wondered whether because he wanted to hear someone's voice. "What makes you think you'll be a martyr by suffering on your own?"
"You think you can get away with this? I know you can hear me. Fine. Keep sulking. Sakura hasn't slept a wink since you through that fit."
How long has it been? He lied against the door of the warm, comforting pantry. He felt another force on the other side of the door lie against the unpolished, flimsy wood made powerful by his magic.
If you've got troubles, I've got 'em too
There isn't anything I wouldn't do for you
"We all have our own issues but no one is asking you to fight alone." The force on the other side of the pantry door vanished. There was a secret hope in his heart that he would hear someone's voice to come rescue him. He waited and no one came. Where were those devoted humans in great stories where they relentlessly support one another? Where were those motivated humans of legendary tales who guarded one another?
After some time, his hands were moist and some of the façade removed. It took some time and he felt it was alright. He was as beautiful as he was ugly; soon, the ugly will die away...slowly, hopefully, eventually.
We stick together and can see it through
Cause you've got a friend in me
You've got a friend in me
His tender hands reached for the cold, steel knob and as he twisted it, in his heart, two doors were opening further and further away from the room. One candle in the dark hall was alive and a young man sat at a wooden table entertaining the white, energetic fluff ball by poking his ever-inflatable stomach and scowling at its squeals. Two young children rested beside him, resting their heads in an uncomfortable sleep upon the table to wait for his return as if he were on a long roundtrip delayed. When the young man realized his friend emerge from the darkest corridor, he waited for an answer.
Fye then replied with the calmest smile on his face and spoke as if nothing had ever happened, that he just woke up: "Let's have some of Yuuko's tea."