Title. Tapestry.
Part. Four.
Part Title. The Proper Way to Hold Someone.
Authour. ~sushisama~
Fandom. Tsubasa Chronicle.
Warnings. This story will contain shounen-ai/yaoi themes between Kurogane and Fai. If you don't like it, then don't read it. Pretty simple concept.
Disclaimer. I do not own Tsubasa Chronicle, nor any of its characters or settings. I am in no way making money off of this story.
Notes. Squee, next part! I don't think it's that great. It is long, though. I didn't realize how long it was when I wrote it out on paper. *o.O;* However, it is done. So plugh. Next part should be up hopefully by the end of the week. That is, if work stops being so busy for me to write my rough drafts in. Mer.
thoughts [ dreams ] ( flashbacks )
::*~~*::
It was at the mage's nagging that they leave the brats alone. He had pulled on Kurogane's hand, leading him into the woods and away from the large lake. The ninja reluctantly let himself be pulled away, as the idiot didn't leave him much of a choice.
"Let's leave the children alone, Kuro-puu," Fai said in a hushed tone while dragging the taller man away. Mokona was on his shoulder with a large grin across his body. "We can just take a nice walk together, ne?" He smiled his plastic smile as they walked into the tree line.
Kurogane walked in silence, trying to ignore the chatting of the idiot and the pork bun. The two talked about nothing important, almost like gossiping girls.
"Did you see, Fai-chan?" the white thing asked, excitement in his voice.
"See what?" the mage replied, a kind smile on his lips.
"Sakura-chan held Syaoran's hand!" Mokona jumped happily on Fai's shoulder. "They did it while we were going between worlds. It was soo~ cute!"
The smile on the blond's face wavered a little bit as his eyes showed a hint of sadness. "That does sound cute, Mokona. It may not be as hard on Syaoran as we thought." He petted the white thing tenderly. "We should be happy for them."
Mokona smiled at the touch. Kurogane could have sworn the thing would purr were it a cat. "Though I wonder..." the white thing started, his face suddenly in concentration.
"Hmm?" Fai encouraged, his fake smile falling back into place. "What has you so curious?"
"Well... Mokona knows that holding hands is important to people, but why? It changes meaning with who holds whose hand..." Mokona's voice was determined. "Like if Mokona held Syaoran's hand it would be different than if Syaoran held Sakura-chan's hand!"
"Or if I held Kuro-chan's hand?" the blond insisted, glancing a dangerous grin in Kurogane's direction.
The ninja glared at the mage, fighting the urge to reach out and strangle him. "The only reason I'd be holding your hand is if I was going to cut if off, mage," he emphasized the word, as if it would declare that the touch would be far different than what the brats shared.
"Kuro-puppy's so mean to me," Fai whined with mock-hurt.
"Has Fai-chan ever held anyone's hand?" Mokona wondered, snuggling into Fai's neck.
Kurogane watched as yet again the mask fell a little, the sad smile coming back. He tried to hide it immediately, but it was too late, the ninja had seen it.
"I..." the mage stumbled on his words. He shook his head, regaining his composure. A smile crossed his lips as his mask came back into place. "No, no one's ever held my hand, especially not like how Syaoran holds on to Sakura-chan's hand." He reached up to retrieve the white thing into his hands.
"Besides," he spoke to the manjuu, his voice perking up a little, "I prefer a hand on my hip or shoulder."
A questioning look came over Mokona's small face. "Why? Is it different to be touched at different places?"
Fai grinned. "Proximity." The manjuu still looked confused. Fai's eyes glanced at Kurogane. The ninja tensed up, wary of the look on the mage's face. "Let me show you." Fai placed Mokona on a low, thick branch as he walked up to the ninja.
Before Kurogane could object, the fingers of his left hand were entwined with the pale digits of the mage. He found himself shoulder-to-shoulder with the smaller man. He attempted to pull away from the idiot, but Fai had him in a vice grip.
"See? We can only touch so much like this." Fai displayed their hands to Mokona, who watched from his perch on the branch. The white thing seemed to ponder the twisted fingers before making a sound that urged Fai to continue.
"But if we adjust a little bit..." Fai moved Kurogane's hand to his hip as he moved his body to fit in the curve of the ninja's side. Kurogane was surprised how well the mage fit against him. Fai held Kurogane's hand in place on his hip, in case the ninja tried to struggle away before the explanation was over.
"See? Now we're closer."
Mokona smiled. "Ah, okay! So, holding hands is for people not ready to be too close, right?" Fai nodded. "You two must be close, you fit so well!"
Kurogane pulled his hand quickly away from the blond. "We're not close," he almost snapped, his frustration with the whole thing evident.
Fai looked up at the ninja for a brief moment, a flash of disappointment, before he smiled. "I was just explaining it to Mokona, Kuro-growl," the mage chirped. "No need to get upset." The blond backed away from the dark-haired male, and Kurogane could feel the empty space that was left at his side. He grunted in an attempt to ignore the feeling.
"I don't see why I need to be part of your lecture," Kurogane muttered.
Mokona looked between the two adults, thinking on something. When he seemed to have made a decision, he announced, "I'm going to check on Syaoran and Sakura-chan!"
Fai smiled at the manjuu. "Do you want us to come with you?"
Mokona shook his head. "No... You two should continue your walk. Just don't be too long!" With that, the bunny-like thing jumped off and into the woods, heading towards the lake.
Fai turned towards the ninja, his fake smile well in place. "Shall we?"
Kurogane sighed. The mage would probably nag him into continuing the walk, so he just shrugged, muttering, "Whatever."
They resumed their walk through the forest in silence. Through the treetops, rays of the setting sun filtered through. All the way, Fai kept a smile on his face, though it seemed to be fading into a more sincere one as they went along.
Kurogane found himself sneaking glances at the blond, as if it would be the only chance he had to see the real smile. Though he still refused to say it, he wanted to see that smile more, as it was the only one that looked right on his lips.
"Oi, mage..." spoke the ninja. He had something he wanted to ask, but he silently hoped that it wouldn't make the other put his mask back on.
Fai tilted his head toward the ninja in recognition, his smile unchanging. "Yes, Kuro-chan?"
An ebony eyebrow twitched at the nickname, but Kurogane chased away the irritation as he thought of the way he wanted to word his question. "Why do you...?" He shook his head; that wasn't how he wanted to phrase it. "Why... what made you so content?" The ninja settled on the question, but it still didn't sound like what he was trying to ask.
Sapphire eyes softened, but the smile remained. He seemed to consider the question as he placed a gloved finger to his chin. "You know... I'm not sure why..." He reached out to graze Kurogane's hand, resting there for a moment, as if he was going to try to hold onto it again, but decided against it. "I think I just like it like this..."
Kurogane tried to ignore the cold that was Fai's touch, and then the cold that was his absence as the mage pulled his hand away. "Like what?"
Kurogane heard Fai's footsteps stop, making the ninja halt himself, looking over his shoulder at the mage. Fai's lips lost their smile as he seemed to decide on something. As he looked up to meet crimson, the fake smile slid into place. Kurogane frowned. He wondered what he had said to make the mage put his mask on again.
Fai reached up to gently caress the ninja's cheek, lightly tracing the edges of his jaw line down to his neck. He pulled himself closer, leaving no space between their bodies. Crimson eyes watched his actions but did nothing to stop the smaller man, even as he brought his lips to graze Kurogane's. Like the other times they had been 'close', Fai pulled back to stare Kurogane in the eyes, but made no further moves.
"I like it better when it's just the two of us," he whispered, his eyes half-lidded. Kurogane frowned, ignoring his body's own impulse to move forward. He knew what the mage was getting at, the same as the other times, and he wanted no part of it. Not when it still seemed the blond didn't even want it himself.
Kurogane placed his hands on Fai's thin shoulders and slowly pushed him away. Crimson eyes sought out sapphires in a motion to try and see through the other man's mask. For a moment, he caught a look of disappointment, similar to the look on Fai's face when Kurogane had declared they weren't close. As always, he was quick to put his façade back into place, that fake smile crossing his lips.
For what felt like hours, they stood in the same positions; Fai's fingers lingered on Kurogane's neck while the ninja kept him at arm's length. While Kurogane stared at him, he couldn't help but admire the way the surroundings accented the mage's natural beauty. The setting sun shone through his hair, setting the locks in a soft flame, close in appearance to the autumn leaves on the trees back in Nihon. His pale skin seemed a few shades darker, completely opposite of his ghost-like appearance at night.
"You're staring, Kuro-tan," Fai's voice was low and sounded far away to Kurogane's wandering mind. He pulled his crimson eyes to concentrate back on Fai's face. The smile the mage wore had softened, it almost looked real even. He tilted his head slightly, some of his golden hair falling across his eyes. "Do you see something you like?"
Kurogane's first reaction would have been to yell at him, to tell him he was an idiot. But something in the mage's voice... Kurogane could honestly say he hated this man. There were so many things he said that had other meanings. He asked questions while there was a completely different question under his words. Sometimes it felt like Fai only worded things the way he did to gage a reaction from Kurogane. It wasn't the first time one of Fai's actions felt more like a test than an honest gest.
Kurogane moved his hand slowly from Fai's shoulder, along his neck, to cup the side of his face, while his other hand migrated to his hip. After a breath, he ran his calloused thumb over the mage's soft lips. His eyes focused on the sapphire ones in front of him, and he could see a little bit of confusion. Fai's smile faltered slightly as he let the man touch him. Kurogane felt Fai stiffen at the contact, holding completely still, like he was afraid to move. The ninja's digit traced over the mage's mouth, but ended in a curve of a smile, a ghost of the one Fai had worn a moment ago. Subconsciously, the other hand that rested comfortably on Fai's hip had been pulling the mage to him slowly.
"Smile," was Kurogane's one word command, though his voice was soft. "A real smile." He moved his thumb to stroke the side of Fai's face. With a quick motion, Kurogane laid his lips on Fai's in a short kiss. When his mouth left the mage, so did the rest of him as he pulled away completely. He took a step back, his eyes never leaving Fai's blue ones.
"That's what I like to see."
The moment the words left his lips, Kurogane could tell he had chosen his actions correctly. The smile that crossed Fai's lips was not one of his larger ones – in fact, it was quite tiny – it was real, not artificial. That was what mattered to Kurogane. Not that he was really ready to admit it to himself yet why it was important, but the feeling was hard to ignore. He wanted the real Fai; it was just that painfully simple.
"Kuro-sama..." Fai whispered around his smile.
Kurogane closed his eyes, turning away from the smaller man. He wanted to savor the moment. It wasn't yet ruined by Fai's mask, and he was determined to keep it that way.
"We should get back to the others," the crimson-eyed ninja advised over his shoulder as he began to walk back towards the direction they had left the children. "Especially before we upset the manjuu. I don't want to hear him whining about how worried he was about us."
Kurogane kept his eyes forward as he heard the mage rush to catch up with him. As they walked on, the ninja chanced a glance over at the other man. The small smile was still on his lips. He noticed how close the mage walked with him, almost touching, closer than when they had first started walking through the forest. Without hesitation, Kurogane wrapped his arm around the lithe man and his blue coat, placing a hand on his hip. He could feel Fai tense up at the contact.
Out of his peripheral vision, he could see the mage's slight confusion as he turned his head slightly to look at Kurogane. "Kuro-tan?"
"This is what you like, isn't it?" Kurogane asked, albeit it be rhetorically. "'A hip or a shoulder'... That's what you said."
The look of questioning didn't leave Fai's face, but it changed, a reflection of his face back in Ryonfi after Fai had first kissed him. "What I like...?" The words sounded strange the way they came out of Fai's mouth, like they were foreign words to him. He shook his head, the smile returning to his lips, the small real one. The mage moved closer, fitting into the ninja's side like during their demonstration to Mokona. All the while, they kept their pace, and Kurogane couldn't help but be surprised at how easy it was to walk with this man so close to him.
"Kuro-rin..."
"What?"
"I like it like this," Fai replied. His voice was the same as the last time he had said the phrase.
"Oh? Why is that?" Kurogane wondered if Fai would give him a real answer this time.
"Because I like it when Kuro-puppy is nice to me," Fai said naturally. There was no teasing in his voice, no mocking with his nickname. "He's a big softy under all that armour and tough." Fai ran his fingers over the warm hand on his hip. "I think I like it. When I'm not having too much fun tormenting you, of course, Kuro-woof woof."
Kurogane glared at the mage. "I don't know how much I'll want to be nice to you then, mage."
Fai chuckled and Kurogane growled, but the mage did not move away to be chased, nor did the ninja move to start chasing him. After a way, they slowly drifted apart due to the obstacles of trees and branches, but Fai kept a loose hold of Kurogane's hand. All the while, Fai smiled, and Kurogane couldn't help but smile back. He knew that once they got back, things would go back to normal. The mage would say something to piss him off, and he would be angry and chase him.
But at least in this moment, while Fai pulled on his hand to hurry up, he could see the mage smile while the last few rays of the setting sun filtered through his golden hair, lighting a fire to the man from a cold world.
Bruu, another chapter down, and some amazing amount more to go. You know something that kind of gets me, though? I had only watched the anime at first when I was working on this story. Only recently have a come across the OVA and gotten my hands on a bit of the manga (btw, if anyone knows where to torrent all the manga in English, it would be appreciated!). After what I've seen and read so far, I have to change a lot of things. Eh. Hopefully not too, too much. Just means I get to make a lot of worlds here and there. Go me. More work.
Anyway! Shout-out time!
The Laughing Mann – I'm trying my best at Kuro-daddy's personality. I messed up a bit in here, but hopefully the next chapter in his point of view I can redeem myself. ^-^
animfangirlNoriko – A lot of places am I going with the idea. Like, pretty much the whole first part of the story deals with it. *lol* Hope I can keep it interesting for you. ;)
x fuji x – *laugh* Fai-mommy's my favourite character, but Kuro-daddy's just easier. Hieh. (Kuro-daddy's easy! Lulz!) The next chapter is for you then because it's from Fai-mommy's point of view. 3
RingoSanada – Phrases, they are important in order to be remembered! Hieh. I actually really liked that line. It was supposed to be elsewhere in the story that is never actually going to show up now, so it felt just as well there. ^_^
WhisperOfTheNight – And hopefully you'll like this one and the next and the next and the next...
