Love of my life,

My soul mate…

You're my best friend…

Kurogane's POV

I felt every frustration, every jerk of anger just ebbing away into a sense of shame as I saw him standing there. His blue eyes were stuck with mine, like they were frozen in place. There was a shine to his eyelashes from where sprinkles of teardrops remained caught to them, unable to spill down his cheeks. I felt sickened by myself, the way I'd shouted at him, the way I'd called him an idiot and wished that I'd never worried about him. In all honesty, I was stunned that I was worried about him. When I came to think of it, every time I'd seen him fall, seen him look the tiniest sad I'd feel the uneasy icy twist to my guts, that sensation that made me want to fall onto the floor.

I wanted to speak but stopped myself. How could he even look at me? I wasn't like the kid…I wasn't that forgiving fool, I wasn't the type that pushed away every irritation and replaced it with patience. I had no patience…it just wasn't something I could do…I looked away, closing my eyes as I painfully relived that pain stricken expression that had crossed the wizard's face when I'd shouted at him.

"Kurogane…"

I refused to open my eyes, realising his voice had become closer to me. I kept my head bowed, tears brimming and stinging my eyes. I felt his cool hands against my skin and my eyes opened reluctantly. His touch was cool but tender, his fingertips tracing along my skin like feathers, and his fingers bending slightly as he cupped my face in his hands, his fingers cradling my face. Fai looked me in the eyes, a half smile on his lips.

"Pulling that fake smile again, wizard?" I whispered, my voice cracking a little at the words.

Fai shook his head a little, pressing his forehead against mine. I bowed my head a little downwards so the tip of my nose touched the bridge of his, memories flooding back of the moment when I'd held him in my arms as the Kreatūra had surrounded us. I watched him as his eyes closed, his breath soft as he breathed against my throat. I eventually sank into his touch, locking my arms around his waist, pulling him closer.

"Kuro-soft…" Fai breathed into my ear as he buried his face into my chest.

"What did I say about nicknames, mage?" I rolled my eyes, loosening my grip on him in case I hurt him.

Fai chuckled. "Nothing that I was conscious for," he retorted. I snorted.

I regrettably blushed when he nuzzled into me. Regrettably because the pinkness seemed to cling to my skin, my cheeks savouring the new shade. It didn't help when Fai broke away from me, his hands holding onto my elbows as I kept my arms around his waist. He looked up at me and then blinked twice, cocking his head adorably to one side.

"Kuro-chan, you're blushing!" he sounded shocked, which made me burn a brighter colour. He smiled. "My blush disappears quicker."

"Well, I wanna see you blush," I growled. "So I can poke fun at you."

"Oh?" Fai smiled warmly, a genuine smile that made my heart glow with an invisible joy. "And how exactly are you going to do that, Kuro…"

I broke him off, claiming his lips as my own, declaring them as mine with a silent song as our lips created perfect harmonies, moulding into one. He breathed in sharply as I stole his breath, my lips moving against his softly, his hands tightening on my elbows, pulling me slowly closer. I felt the butterflies rise, carrying my heart away with them.

I heard his voice in my head, images of his face flashing quickly in my minds eye, all those voices that had come to me when I was scared, finding that same comfort within him, those voices that had urged me to rescue him, those voices that urged me to embrace him and never let him go.

"You really do have me all figured out don't you?"

"I mean after all, my only serious goal is not to return to the world I came from. And as long as helping out our new friend, doesn't get me killed, well it isn't as if I have anything else better to do now, is it?"

"C'mon, cheer with me, Kurgy! Oh come on just a little bit. You were hiding the fact you were injured so that Sakura wouldn't worry. That was a sweet thing to do; maybe you deserve some cheers to!"

"Well, what would you do if you went up there? If you were first and could have any wish to have granted, would you ask their god to send you back to the world you came from?"

"Your face when you saw Tomoya. It was absolutely adorable."

We broke apart, for oxygen purposes and oxygen purposes alone. I smiled as our lips slowly parted, my hand reaching to touch his cheek, tracing my thumb along his cheekbone. I looked into his dazed eyes, swearing I could see shooting stars flying through the blue midst of his eyes.

"W-w-what's so funny?" Fai stammered, his lips clumsy as he spoke.

"Your cheeks are extremely red," I smiled a little wider as he looked even more embarrassed, the rosiness deepening against his skin. "I got what I wanted…and I don't want to lose it…not now or ever…"

Fai looked close to tears at my words, another true smile tugging at the corners of his lips, the pinkness refusing to reduce anytime soon from his pale skin. I loved these genuine smiles of his.

I felt a sudden sharp chill and Fai's smile faded, his eyes turning dim as the shooting stars faded into a glazed look. He turned around and I looked over his shoulder. The Kreatūra were standing there, but with a new face. I felt Fai tense up immediately and I swore I could feel his body sway.

Immediately, without having to hear Fai's words to encourage me, I pulled him behind me, stepping before him. I murmured "Stay back" as I held him there, feeling his hands against my back, almost like a small child huddled to its mother.

I narrowed my eyes. There were twice as many Kreatūra as before, the grass beneath them turning a dead yellow, turning stale. I grimaced as I looked at them, feeling my burns from our previous fight prickle with anxiety. It took me a few moments for me to realise the new face with them was a woman.

She was tall, probably taller than me (maybe even taller than the dimensional witch) with icy white hair that reached down her back, eyes as black an abyss apart from two small white circles for pupils. Her skin was pale like Fai's also, her eyes standing out like black pits on snow against her skin. Was she…coming for Fai?

"Fai D. Fluorite?" the woman said, her voice sounding like three whispers put on top of each other, each voice finishing the sentence at different times. "Step forward."

Fai tensed, as did I. I refused to let Fai take a step forward, I refused to let him hand himself over. I felt like telling him it'd be okay, like scooping him up in my arms and fleeing away with him. But I knew it would do no good.

"I'm sorry, he's unavailable right now," I shouted out to her, narrowing my eyes. "Could I take a message?"

"Don't be foolish, ninja, I have no business with you," the woman spat, her voice dripping with venom and contempt. "I am here to collect something precious of my master…and if he refuses, I will have to take him by force."

"Well, this something means more to me than he would to your master," I snarled. "And I pretty much need him right now…heck, he's out of stock. He's mine and I'm afraid I'm not the type of guy who doesn't mind returning things precious without a fight."

The woman glowered at me. "Very well," she said lowly. "Τον αρπάξτε!"

Before I could even consider trying to translate into a language I could understand, the Kreatūra charged at me. My only weapon my determination not to give Fai up; I got into a strong stable stance, prepared to get pushed back only to stand my ground. I heard Fai cry out.

I swung around to see he'd collapsed to the floor, clutching his stomach. I stared at him. His clothes around his stomach began to burn, burning through the bandages so they turned a rusty dark colour, his skin becoming visible to reveal a startling redness. I gaped at him. Suddenly, I felt a heavy blow to my side and I was knocked clean off the ground.

I heard a dull thud of my head greeting the ground, my eyes rolling back a little as my mind threatened to close down temporarily to lead me into unconsciousness. My eyelids flickered as my head rolled to my side. Everything was slipping in and out of focus, feeling a warm sticky liquid at the back of my head. I stared as I saw the woman closing in on Fai, who was struggling to get to his feet. She flicked her hand, not even coming on contact with him, and a force knocked Fai backwards, landing with a sickening thud as he fell on his back. He tried to get to his feet and she flicked her hand once more, the invisible force knocking Fai backwards so he landed back on his back.

"Fai…" I groaned, wincing as I tried to move. My muscles seemed dead and useless as they refused to move and it had nothing to do with fear this time…

I saw him turn his head to look at me, a fake smile on his lips, turning my body numb. I stared helplessly. I couldn't hear what he was saying, static roaring in my ears. All I could focus on was his lips as he mouthed my name, before I slipped into darkness…

But who am I to say, you love me…

And who am I to say, you need me…

And who am I to say you love me…

Don't know anything…at all…

Thank you for reading!!! Another cliff hanger. My exam went well and I was in the mood for writing, so here is my latest chapter. Thank you for all of the reviews and favourites. Keep them coming!!! Next chapter may be written in Fai's POV, it will change between the pair since I want to make it clear how they both feel about one another so no one (well out of Fai and Kuro-perv) come across as a bad guy. It's all explained through POV!!! Yay. Next chapter coming out tomorrow or Saturday

Doodle x-x-x

Note: The word the woman says (Τον αρπάξτε) means: Seize Him, in Greek. All will be explained next chapter.