I've started a 100 Themes challenge (what am I thinking?!), mainly because I seriously need to improve my one-shot writing abilities. I'm writing two in parallel - a Kakairu and a KuroFai one, check them both out!

This is the KuroFai one. Just so you're not surprised. ^^

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1. Introduction

"We didn't exactly get off on the right foot, did we, Kuro-rin?" Fai plastered a huge smile across his face, knowing full well that the other man couldn't understand him.

Kurogane listened to the other man babble away at him in the lyrical language that had to be Fai's native tongue, wincing as he recognized another one of those bastardized versions of his name. He'd hoped that, once it became apparent that Mokona was not around to translate, the endlessly talkative magician would fall silent. But after only two days in Yasha's camp, Fai had clearly decided that he was going to talk anyway.

Fai crouched down and draped his arms over his knees, "I wish I could tell you why I can't return home. I know it bothers you that I lie all the time, but…." He forced a wider grin, not wanting Kurogane to sense how serious he was being. "Kuroi, you would kill me if you knew. You wouldn't even think twice. And I want to do what I can to help before…. Well, before people start getting hurt because of me."

Kurogane groaned; he was not going to be able to take this. It was one thing to have a constant drone of conversation, but it was quite another when those words were unintelligible, especially since he kept hearing his name – or Fai's ridiculous nicknames to be more exact – and had the distinct feeling that Fai was talking about him.

Fai raised his head when Kurogane dropped down in front of him. The swordsman pressed his hand to his chest. "Kurogane."

"Yes, Kuro-tan, I know."

The other man growled in frustration, and pressed his hand against Fai's chest, "Fai." Fai opened his mouth again, and Kurogane clapped hand over it, his eyes narrowing in warning, and Fai rolled his eyes and nodded his assent to stop being annoying.

"Watashi no namai wa Kurogane desu." He pointed to himself and then to Fai.

Fai cocked his head to one side. "Ehhh, watashi no namai wa…Fai desu." He repeated slowly, stumbling over several of the words and looking at Kurogane for confirmation when he'd finished.

Kurogane snorted, "Hn. Dozo youroshiku."

Fai grinned brightly, "Nice to meet you, too."

Kurogane let out a frustrated sigh and smacked his hand across his face when Fai slipped back into the other language. He'd thought, for a minute that he might be getting through to the moron.

Fai pulled his knees up to his chest and rested his chin on them. "Maybe we'll do better this time." But he knew better than to be hopeful given the fact that he was involved.

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Thanks for reading!