AN: Not much to say here, things just keep on moving on in their lives. This chapter really just shows how their relationship begins progressing forward. Like I said, time will move quickly in this fic, so try not to be too shocked when suddenly a year or two pass.

Well, that's all I have to say! Please enjoy, review, and follow


Kurogane and Fai became closer after that. After Fai's wound healed, Kurogane began taking him out with him, and the other kids immediately began treating Fai as if they had liked him the whole time. They complimented his eyes and his hair and even his pale skin, saying that his skin could rival Lady Suwa's.

"Isn't it strange?" Fai asked as they walked back to the estate. "The fact that they do whatever you do?"

Kurogane shrugged. "I'm used to it. It's been like this since for as long as I can remember."

Fai smiled a bit. "Well, don't worry. I won't become a mindless drone for you to control."

"Oi! What the hell did you just say?!" Kurogane yelled, making Fai laugh.

"Oh no, Kurogane is mad!" Fai cried as he ran into the estate.

Once they were inside, Kurogane stopped and crossed his arms, not wanting to get yelled at for running around. "Whatever. Just go to your training."

"As you wish!" Fai said as he turned to go to the shrine.

Time went on like that, with the two bickering playfully, acting like they hated each other but really loving the friendship they had. A year passed quickly, and the two were inseparable. Anything that happened would only bring them closer.

"Lady Suwa!"


Kurogane swallowed as he sat by his mother's bedside, watching her as he slept. Fai had found her passed out in the shrine, pale and breathing shortly, and Kurogane had carried her to her room to sleep properly. He shook his head and shut his eyes; his father was out hunting demons. What if something happened while he was gone? He shook his head again and opened his eyes to look at his mother. No, nothing would happen. They had the best doctors, and Fai knew all of the best remedies for healing the sick. She was still breathing, and she would keep on breathing for a long time, Kurogane would make sure of it.

But where was Fai? After following Kurogane to his mother's room, Fai had left, and he hadn't seen him since. And that was hours ago.

After finding someone to stay with his mother, Kurogane left and began looking around for Fai, eventually coming to the shrine, where he heard quietly mumblings.

He opened the door and stopped short, his eyes widening.

Fai was sitting in front of the shrine, his head bowed a bit and his hands clasped in front of him. Kurogane could hear him quietly reciting the prayers and spells he had heard his mother say so many times.

But Fai… Fai was so much different than his mother.

Surrounding Fai was a blue light, as blue as his eyes, and the room felt cold. Even when Kurogane stepped inside and the floor creaked, Fai did not stop his prayer. Kurogane knelt beside Fai, seeing that his eyes were closed as his lips moved quickly.

Was Fai really so advanced at such a young age? Even though Kurogane harbored none of his mother's magic abilities, he could feel the strong magic practically dripping from Fai's body. When he asked, Kurogane's mother had told him that her magic wasn't very strong, compared to some priestesses, and it took her years and years to become strong enough to become Suwa's priestess. Yet here Fai was, looking as if he had been performing the same duties for years.

Eventually, Fai let out a long breath and the blue light surrounding him faded as the room returned to a normal temperature. Fai opened his eyes and lowered his hands, blinking when he saw Kurogane.

"Oh, Kurogane," He said in surprise. "What are you doing here?"

"I was just… Trying to find you," Kurogane said slowly, finding it hard to form proper sentences. "What were you just doing?"

Fai's face became flushed and he looked to the torch standing on the side of the shrine. "I was strengthening the barriers… With Lady Suwa so sick, I thought that maybe if I could get the barriers strong enough, then Lord Suwa could come back to be with her for a bit."

Kurogane simply stared at Fai in shock. "You can… Strengthen the barriers?"

Fai nodded. "Lady Suwa has been training me since I arrived here, but I was only able to begin performing her duties in her place a few years ago. Before that, my magic wasn't strong enough." Fai swallowed and looked at Kurogane. "Um… Why are you staring at me?"

Kuroane blinked and looked down. "Sorry, it just… It surprised me, is all."

Fai smiled and stood up to put out the torches. "I hope the barriers are strong enough now. I'll keep on working hard so that Lord Suwa can come back."

Kurogane decided that he didn't hate Fai, not at all, and he didn't like him, either. He adored him, because thanks to him, Kurogane's father could come back and his mother could rest.


"Ah, so you saw Fai strengthening the barriers?" Kurogane's mother asked the next morning. After she had woken up, Kurogane had asked her about Fai and what he had seen.

"Mother, I don't understand," Kurogane said. "He's so young, but he can perform your duties just fine."

She smiled and reached out to take Kurogane's hand. "Fai has very powerful magic, much greater than my own, and possibly even greater than any of the priestesses in the capital."

"Is it because of where he came from?" Kurogane asked.

His mother hummed in thought. "Possibly. Perhaps he comes from a place full of strong, magical beings. But we will never know, will we? All we can do is be thankful that he is here to help us."

The door slid open and Kurogane grinned when he saw his father standing there, still in his armor and his sword still on his hip. He smiled when he saw his wife and son and walked over to sit beside Kurogane.

"I hope I didn't take too long," He said as he looked down at his wife.

She smiled and shook her head. "Not at all."

Kurogane decided to give them some time alone and left, closing the door behind him. He walked to the courtyard, finding Fai lounging under one of the trees with a book of spells in his hand.

"Can you hurt anyone with your magic?" Kurogane asked as he sat next to Fai.

Fai shrugged and closed the book. "I'll never tell, Kuro-curious."

Kurogane felt his eye twitch. "What the hell did you just call me?" He asked in a low voice.

Fai burst out laughing so hard that he fell onto his side. "Your face! Your face! So priceless!"

"Oi! You idiot, just because I let you call me by my name doesn't mean you can butcher it!" Kurogane yelled as he hit Fai—lightly—over the head.

Fai laughed and sat up. "But your name is so… Boring! What about Kuro-rin, or Kuro-chan?"

"I'm not a girl!" Kurogane yelled, which only made Fai laugh harder.

"Uh oh, Kuro-sama is gonna get me!" Fai cried as he jumped up and climbed up the tree he had been sitting under, reminding Kurogane of a cat that wanted to hide from its master.

"Get down here so I can kick your ass!" Kurogane yelled, shaking his fist.

"That doesn't seem like a very good idea!" Fai called down.

Kurogane shook his head and sat back down, picking up the book Fai had been reading and opening it to where he had left off. "Healing spells?" He mumbled.

Fai climbed down a moment later and sat beside Kurogane. "It's not good to look at other peoples' things, Kuro-rin."

Kurogane rolled his eyes and shut the book. "Why are you reading about healing spells? I thought you were good at those."

Fai's smile faltered a bit. "I never said that. I'm good at remedies, Kuro-sama. I can mix up some herbs to create something that can heal and cure, but when it comes to magic… Well, I'm afraid I fall short."

"What do you mean?" Kurogane asked.

"When my magic kept on growing, Lady Suwa told me that I probably came from a land where magic is a very common thing," Fai explained. He smiled a bit. "She said that I probably would have been a very strong magician there. But somehow, I ended up here, in Nihon, and I don't remember how."

"Yeah, I know that," Kurogane said, wanting Fai to get to the point.

"Well, she said that I should learn more about my magic," Fai said. "More than just strengthening barriers, so she gave me spell books to learn. But… It seems that I can only learn attack spells. No matter how hard I try, I forget all of the healing spells."

Kurogane looked down at the book and then back up at Fai. "So what? Just strengthen the barriers when my mother can't and it'll be the same as healing people because you'll be preventing them from getting hurt."

Fai's eyes widened and he looked at Kurogane. A smile broke out on his face. "Wow… Kuro-tan, you actually sounded smart for a second."

"Oi, what did you say? AND THAT'S NOT MY NAME, DAMMIT!"