Hello again, hope you enjoy this as much as you did the last one!
Disclaimer: i do not own Tsubasa Chronicle or the song 'Pour l'amour d'un enfant'
Pour l'amour d'un enfant
Arrêter le temps
Et la ronde Vagabonde
Des tourments
D'un regard Pour un soir
Arrêter l'histoire
Sur l'instant Où doucement
Viens l'espoir
Au dehors Viendra l'aurore
Ouvrir ses ailes
Et poser sur tes paupières
Dans ton sommeil
Un morceau du ciel
Both Fai and Kurogane, to this day, could not understand how the boy kept himself standing. Through all of the heart wrenching hardships, ad physical trauma that would send even adults into the deepest depths of fear they had. And yet, here was this boy, still very much a child though he had been forced to grow up far too fast. they both admired his determination, even when it put him in danger. but they were both there to pull him back again, remind him that he was indeed still a child and they were there to support him. Thus was the result of thier rapidly growing friendship.
Of course, sometimes Syaoran refused to let his burden be lessened, even if it was for his own good.
One such time was in the country of Vectesserie, a country very much like Jade, people included. this time however, this world's Mr. Grossum had generously volunteered his home instead of a power hungry doctor. His expansive library had instantly taken in Syaoran, who made a beeline and had already stacked at least five in front of him 2 seconds after Grossum told them they were welcome to explore it. The others would check on him in amusment every few hours, finding him in the exact same spot, pouring himself over all of the information which held the smallest clues to Sakura's feather. However, both adults began to feel a twinge of concern when they found the boy again the next morning, dark bags under his eyes and very much without sleep. However they did not want to disturb him until it had certainly gotten out of hand...that time had come close to midnight that night, when the boy had even yet to put a book down.
"The kid's going to collapse of sleep deprivation before he can even reach for the feather.." Kurogane pointed out grumpily, "Lets just toss the kid in his room and lock the door till he's slept,"
"Now now Kuro-puu, lets try to persuade him before we resort to such actions, i know daddy's worried about his son." Fai patted Kurogane's spiky hair. The man looked like he was about to yell, when Fai quickly opened the door to the library and scampered in, making the ninja exhale his frustration loudly, slightly put out.
"Syaoran-kun, bedtime!" Fai cooed, startling the young boy after hours of silence.
"G-good evening Fai-san, i wasn't expecting you to still be up." Both adults were slightly relieved to find that the book was not indeed glued to his fingertips, as he closed it and set it down to talk with his two companions.
Kurogane hmphed skeptically, "Look who's talking, kid."
Syaoran blinked, eyes stinging slightly from fatigue yet too stubborn in his own way to admit it. If he did the others would worry, and make him sleep. H didn't want to sleep, that was when the nightmare's came, that was when he couldn't work to keep them away. That was when his thoughts could be only on Sakura.
"I-uh.." He trailed off, but he could tell by the looks on the two elder men, they were not about to let this go, and let him pull another all nighter. So Syaoran, mentally sending an apology to both, did the only thing he could. He tried to stall.
"I've found a lot of useful information, like here, this book tells a legend close tot he towns suspicions of a mysterious power. As we've discovered in our past travels, it could very well be the princess's feather." Syaoran opened the book again and pointed tot he text for the other two to see.
"Is that so?" Fai trailed off, winking at the incredulous ninja glaring at him. Obviously Kurogane wanted to know if Fai had ben so easily distracted.
The blonde proved him wrong though, when he walked forward to sit in an armchair by Syaoran's side, placing a gentle hand on the boys upperback, just where his shoulders looked uncomfortably hunched over. Kurogane joined them soon after, keeping an eye on both to see just what would happen next.
Syaoran continued to babble on about what he thought could be leads to Sakura's memory, and Fai nodded every so often to assure he was listening, but also started to trace soothing circles on Syaoran's aching back, making his bunched up nerves relax unconciously. Syaoran didn't seem to notice, but Kurogane noticed with slight humor that the child's eyes started to droop sleepily. It wasn't until Fai had started to softly hum something that sounded suspiciously like a lullaby, that Syaoran figured out what the blonde was doing.
"Fai-san..please stop.." Syaoran looked up, polite as always, but Kurogane could definetly detect a hint of annoyance in those determined (and currently bloodshot) brown eyes.
Fai grinned sheepishly at being caught, and took his hand off the boys back and held them up in apology, "Can't blame me for trying..." He chuckled, "Fai-mommy and Kuro-daddy just wanted their little Syaoran to get some rest."
Kurogane growled his protest with this comment
Syaoran merely sighed, "I thank you both for your concern, but truly i'll be fine. what is most important is finding the princess's feathers. Since we have no assurance of where it is, i can't stop working until i do. Once i have a secure idea of where it is, i'll have plenty of time to rest, so please don't worry." He finished with smile, hoping it would pacify the two.
like THAT was ever gonna happen...
"That never stopped you before. When this all started, except for the very begining, you slept when you needed to because there was nothing we could do about the feather at that moment. But now you've started avoiding it like it was death itself. No....i think soemhting else is going on here, and your using the princess as a distraction." Kurogane accused, staring unmercifully down at the boy.
Syaoran glanced away, unable to meet his gaze. He knew that Syaoran's fear of the nightmares would betray his assuring attitude.
"No...i-i dont....i mean, "He stammered, searchign blindly for a logical answer.
"Syaoran, "Fai interuppted, "Do you trust us?"
That made syaran's head pop straight back up, "Of course i do!" He exclaimed, then looked down sheepishly at his outburst, "you both have sacrificed so much for me and the princess...it's because of you and all of your help that the princess is still...alive today," Syaoran gulped after the last part, trying not to let the horrible memory of almost losing his most important person invade once again. "If I didn't trust both of you...we would never have made it this far..." Syaoran finished. Kurogane looked away at the somewhat sappy show of appreciation, but secretly felt his fondness for the child grow. Fai didn't bother to hide his, pulling the boy into a hug and running his fingers through his brown hair assuringly, it was so maternal Kurogane felt his eyebrow twitch in annoyance.
"Syaoran-kun is such a good kid. Doesn't Kuro-puu think so too?"
Kurogane glanced at both of them, noticing that not only Fai was givig him a curious look.
He closed his eyes, "You'v got guts kid...and potential. when you learn to take care of yourself as well as the ones around you, you'll make a decent swordsman."
Syaoran linked then beamed, his chest swelling in what he knew was pride. He had worked hard to gain that compliment from his mentor. He closed his eyes contentdly, letting out a happy and tired sigh, relaxing into Fai's embrace finally.
Fai smiled down at him, rubbing soothing circles on his back once again.
"I'm no sure what's troubling you Syaoran-kun, but me and kuro-pon are always here to keep an eye on you, we'll make sure you make it out alright..."
"And the princess too right?" Syaoran asked sleepily.
Fai blinked at the uncharacteristicly childish tone Syaoran had taken in this state, he chuckled, "Of course, Sakura-chan too."
"Good..." Syaoran relaxed again
after a few moments, the two adults thought that the child may have fallen asleep. that was before Fai suddenly felt Syaoran trembling slightly.
"I don't want to sleep....i don't like it..." Syaoran mumbled in his sleep.
"Why not Syaoran-kun? Do you have nightmares?" He shot a curious look at the ninja, who shrugged in response
Syaoran 'mmed' slightly as an answer, "I don't like it....he can't be, but that voice.....i'm frightened.." Syaoran finished, convincing the others that he was only slightly concious if he addmited such a thing.
Fai ran his hand through the boy's hair once again, "Don't be scared. We're right here, we'll protect you." He knew this was al he can see, it was obvious they would not get any answers other than brief and vague snippets of what the boy was going through.
"Promise?" The boy whimpered slighlty, his trembling stopping with the blonde's reassuring.
Fai rose an eyebrow at Kurogane, whcih was returned by the ninja. Finally the raven haired man reached forward with a 'hmmph' and ruffled hte boy's hair gently.
"Just go to sleep runt."
Syaoran seemed to take this as an answer, and soon Fai heard the boy's calm and quiet snores. He chuckled in amusment.
"What are we going to do with you Syaoran-kun? You're just too young to deal with everything by yourself..."
Kurogane sighed in agreement, before pushing hmself out of the comfortable armchair to sling the boy gently over his shoulder. He silently trekked up to he child's room with Fai trailing behind expectantly.
After he set him on the bed, Fai pulled the covers aorund thier younger com panion, smoothing the troubled expression from his face and brushig his bangs away from his eyes.
"Sleep well little one." Fai murmered to the boy, before turning to leave.
Kurogane followed, but stopped to look at his pupil form the doorway.
Syaoran had a soft and content smile on his face, finally, if for this night only, able to soundly sleep.
Kurogane smiled, then shook his head, softly closing the door behind him.
Les secrets de la nuit
Veillent sur ta vie
Tu t'endors Et dans ton corps
Tu guéris
...Tu guéris
Read and review please. I used the french version of 'flying dreams' in secret of nimh, i used it because if you get the direct translation it really fits to Syaoran. that and in the english dub Fai speaks french when mokona isn't around.
