Disclaimer- I do not own Tsubasa

Spoilers- none. Just so you all know I made up my own story for Fai's past since I don't know it yet.

Oh and for those who don't know italics are dreams and thoughts and like in the last chapter when a character is remembering something like a past conversation.

"Were back!" said Syaoran as he and Kurogane entered the inn.

Sakura beamed at them. "I'll go get the tea," she quickly disappeared and reappeared with a tray and teacups. "There was a lot left over from Fai-san's meal."

Kurogane frowned. "He didn't eat?"

Sakura's smile faded as she shook her head. "Not really. With his arms and hands all bandaged up its really hard for him to eat by himself. So Mokona tried to help. Though I think Mokona ate most of it in the end." Sakura smiled again. "But he seems to be the same old Fai again!"

"Well that's good," said Syaoran taking a teacup.

Kurogane knew better.

"Did you find him? The man who hurt Fai?" Sakura asked quietly.

The young boy shook his head. "No. And we really can't waste an-"

"It's not a waste of time," snarled the ninja cutting Syaoran off in mid sentence. "If the princess had been attacked you wouldn't sleep until you killed the man who hurt her. We should do the same thing for that wizard," "You're right Kurogane-san. I'm sorry," the boy quickly took a sip of his tea. Daring to speak again. "However, we do need to find Princess Sakura's feather soon. The sooner we find it the sooner we can leave this world. "

"Then Fai will be safe?" asked Sakura.

The boy nodded.

The ninja stayed silent. He didn't feeling like bursting the girl's bubble. Fai could go to as many worlds as he liked. But as long as that one man was alive he would never be safe.

He left the two alone and headed off to the bedroom that he and Fai were sharing. Unfortunately it only had one bed in it. And Fai needed it more then him. If by chance he ever got injured he knew the mage would do the same. At least he hoped he would.

He entered the room and took a moment to take in the sight before him. Bandages that had once covered Fai's broken arms were now all over the bed and the floor and the culprit, Mokona.

"WHAT ARE YOU DOING?!" the ninja roared so loud that the two kids in the other room jumped.

"What's wrong Kuro-chi?" asked the wizard smiling at him.

Kurogane stomped over to the bed and grabbed the white creature by his long ears.

"NO!" cried Mokona. "Its okay Yuko gave medicine for Fai!" Before Kurogane tossed the small white creature out a window he decided to listen. "I told Yuko that Fai got hurt. Very badly hurt. And I told her I was really sad. Really, really sad. And I told her that I wanted him to get better. So she sent medicine. Its special medicine that heals almost anything. You rub it on the hurt area. And even though Fai's bones are the ones that are hurt the medicine will make them heal faster!"

"How much is the medicine going to cost us?" growled Kurogane. He was sure it wasn't a price they could afford.

"Nothing," replied Mokona happily.

Kurogane snorted. "Yeah right,"

"But its true," Mokona cried. "Yuko gave it to me. She wants Fai to get better because I want Fai to get better. Because Fai is important to me! He takes good care of me! He carries me and doesn't complain when I sleep on top of him! And his he lets me keep warm in his coat when we go to cold places! And he is always nice to me he never yells at me like you do! And-"

"I got it," growled the ninja throwing the white creature out the door and slamming it shut.

"Wheet whew. Mokona made me sound like a really good person. But everyone does those things for Mokona."

Kurogane sighed, walking back over to the bed. Fai's mask was back on and all the defensive walls that he hid himself behind were back up. Kurogane took a seat on the edge of the bed, glaring at the bandages scattered about.

As soon as he sat down the feeling hit him again. What was it about Fai that did this to him? An irritating tune was coming from the magician. Though, it didn't piss him off as much as it usually did. In fact, he was glad that the mage was humming. When he had found Fai that night it was all the mage could do to hum a song. That little melody let him know that the wizard was still alive. He could no longer hate Fai's humming or singing because he had almost lost him.

"I couldn't find him," Kurogane admitted. The words were bitter in his mouth. He had wanted nothing more to come and tell Fai that he had killed that man.

"I didn't think you would," Fai said continuing his tune.

He glanced over at the mage. He had his eyes closed and was smiling to him self. He looked a bit better though. What little color the mage had was finally coming back. He no longer looked deathly pale. However, Fai's arms were another matter. Hopefully Yuko's medicine would do the trick and fix the mage's arms. He had been worried that Fai might not be able to use the again. The bones themselves had been shattered.

The ninja cleared his throat. "We should bandage those skinny arms of your's. We have to make sure they heal right."

"Hm,"

"I'll do it," Kurogane said getting up to gather clean bandages. Quickly and carefully Kurogane bandaged the battered arms. "Do they still hurt?" he asked.

"Not really," the magician answered.

"Liar," Kurogane muttered. He could see it in the mage's eyes. They sat in silence as Kurogane wrapped up Fai's arms in new bandages. The only sounds were small whimpers of pain every time Kurogane wrapped a bandage too tight or was a bit too rough with one of the wizard's shattered arms.

"There, finished," Kurogane took a deep breath. He might as well bring this up. As long as they were here. "Last night. I decided something."

"Oh?" said Fai checking out his rewrapped arms.

"I don't want this to happen to you again."

"Me neither. It's quite a painful ordeal. But I'm glad you don't want it to happen to me again, either,"

"Shut up for a second," he snapped. "What I'm trying to say is that as long as that man is around, your life will always be in danger. So I'll protect you from him and anyone else who tries to harm you. I'll protect you. I swear that to you,"

"Don't say such stupid things," hissed Fai.

The words made Kurogane freeze. That harsh tone and the icy way he had said it. He could hardly believe that had come from the wizard. Out of habit the ninja quickly went on the offensive.

"Oh? Well what's stupid about what I just said?" he yelled. "What's wrong with wanting to protect you? Do you want to end up dead? To you want to be hurt even worse next time,"

The ninja stopped talking at once. The icy stare he was getting from the magician made him realize that he was an idiot. Everything that Fai had said to him several hours ago came tumbling back into his head.

Fai did not want someone to protect him or love him. Because those things as far as Fai knew only brought pain. That evil man that had hurt Fai had promised him love and protection and in the end only hurt Fai.

The anger and fear in the wizard's eyes made the ninja's heart ache. "Fai," he began trying to fix the damage his words had caused. "I would never-"

"Don't say stupid things," the magician repeated. The words held no venom in them this time. Just sadness. His words had no venom but his eyes did as he glared at Kurogane.

The ninja knew that their conversation was over.

XxX

Blood. He could feel it falling from him. He could hear it hitting the polished floor of the castle.

Breathing hurt.

Running hurt.

He needed to get away.

But where? He had never been outside the castle before. He would take his chances out there. He just had to keep running. He had seen his reflection a while back. You couldn't even tell that it was him anymore. He covered in his own blood. He wondered how he could still be alive. When in mid run he would fall dead to the ground?

The boy fell to his knees as another fit of coughs over took him. His fit of hacking echoed along the empty halls. He spit up more blood. Tears threatened to fall as the fit finally ended.

"Where are you trying to fly my little bird?" a voice said from behind him.

Fear flooded threw him. It froze him to the spot. He wouldn't survive another beating.

"Ashura," he whispered.

"My little Fai. Are you scared?"

Tears finally falling. He was going to die. Right here.

"What could you be scared of?" Ashura placed a long pale hand on the boy's shoulder. Whatever it is I'll protect you from it," The long nails digging in to his skin. More blood.

More tears. More blood. All he wanted to do was run. But he was frozen to the spot.

"You shouldn't run from me, little Fai." The nails sunk deeper into his shoulder. "I am the only one who loves you. I protect you. I take care of you. Ashura's other hand grabbed Fai by his blood soaked hair. He turned the young boy to face him. Finally removing the nails from Fai's shoulder.

"I am going to take you upstairs." Ashura's voice was fierce now. "and there, I am going to teach you never to defy me or run from me again. You are going to wish you were dead by the end of it,"

"I already do," hissed Fai.

That remark almost got him a broken jaw.

Fai knew now though. Ashura would not allow him to die at least not yet. Maybe one day when Ashura was bored with him. When his little play toy was no longer fun. When Fai was broken and used in everyway that he was no longer fun to Ashura that would be the day he died.

He was a trapped bird. Ashura's little pet. And he knew that he would die as Ashura's little pet.

By his blood soaked locks he was dragged to Ashura's chambers.

"Fai!" Kurogane gently shook the magician's shoulder. "Wake up!"

The magician was shaking. He couldn't make out what Fai was muttering. But he knew he needed to be woken up.

"Fai!"

Fai's eyes suddenly flew open fear filled them. "Ashura!" he cried. He was flailing trying to get up. "Ashura!"

"Fai, calm down," Kurogane said. He pinned the wizard down by his shoulders. "It was all a nightmare,"

A single tear fell from Fai's fearful eyes. He stared up into Kurogane's scarlet ones. That was no nightmare. That had really happened. The first time he had tried to run from Ashura. "Ashura," Fai whispered.

"He'll never hurt you again," Kurogane said firmly finally letting go of the mage's shoulders.

Fai wanted to believe in Kurogane. He wanted to believe but…Ashura's promises of protection and love still haunted his thoughts and his whispers and vows he could still feel being whispered in his ear.

Fai closed his eyes tightly and shook his head. "No!"

Kurogane frowned at Fai. "You're falling apart. You don't have the strength to stand on your own anymore,"

Fai's eyes opened slightly to look at Kurogane.

"I will never hurt you," Kurogane whipped away another tear that was forming in Fai's scared blue eyes.

"You'll protect me?" the wizard asked.

"Yes. Always. "

"Kuro," Fai whispered struggling to sit up. With a little help from Kurogane he was able to sit upright. And then to Kurogane's surprise Fai wrapped his battered arms, as best he could around the ninja and buried his face in the man's chest. "Thank you," the wizard whispered.

The ninja smiled and patted the wizard's back. He had to kill this Ashura person before he got back home, to Japan. He wouldn't be able to sleep at night if he knew that that man was still out there hunting Fai. Or worse already had him.

He would protect Fai until the magician had the strength to protect himself again. That day wouldn't be for a while, he knew that. But until then he didn't mind at all, protecting this blonde goof ball.

'And so here it is,' Fai thought to himself. Here he was placing all his trust into someone who could easily turn around and betray him. The thought terrified him beyond words. He tightened his grip on Kurogane. His shattered arms hurt as they were being forced to move in a way that they weren't ready to move in yet, but he didn't care. The worst part of it was if Kurogane did turn around and start to hurt him he knew he would let him. He wouldn't fight it. He couldn't, not anymore. If Kurogane did that to him it would just prove everything Ashura had ever said.

Kurogane's touch was so gentle though. The way he embraced him and comforted him. He had never been held like this before. Or comforted. It was a nice feeling. Kurogane, of course had gotten angry at him before and threatened to break his scull open but, he knew that Kurogane would never actually hurt him on purpose.

All his trust and faith was placed in Kurogane now.

To be continued…

A/N

Oh. I feel kind of stupid cause after I checked it I realized I left out the Chi variable. I'm sure she was nice to Fai. bashes head against keyboard AH!! I'm sure I'll figure it out but still. It's all because I added chapters. The relationship was moving way to fast in the original version. So I added a few chapters. But now that I've written this one I have to rewrite this one because I changed it again. There isn't much change but still enough to make me have to rewrite everything again. So this next one won't be out for a while. I'm sorry.

BTW thanks for the reviews. There aren't a lot but I love each and every one of them. And I am also just grateful for reviews. . There a lot of help. So thank you everyone.

7dragons7