A/N: Gawd, I wrote this back when the new chapters that were coming out were for the CELES ARC! That's, what, a year or so ago? (And if I remember correctly, this was the first Tsubasa story I ever tried writing. O_O ) Well, anyway, I never got around to putting it up, and I found it while cleaning my harddrive the other day, and I thought, "Why not?". So, this is my take on what could've happened after Celes... BUT DIDN'T. *sigh*

Ten: Dreaming

Their distance didn't disturb him one bit; it was to be expected, really. At least they were civil when they were speaking to one another… But it was those around the corner, 'look-to-see-if-Fai's-oh-wait-he's-not-Fai-but-is-he-coming?' looks made him wonder what the others were thinking, and it was Kurogane's furious glares that sent chills down the magician's spine.

And then… there was the Dimension Witch. He had the sinking feeling that she knew everything, and why wouldn't she? She placed Kurogane especially in their care to reverse any damage that Fai did, didn't she…? But as much as the Witch made him feel uncomfortable, he was thankful towards her. Her shop served as a no-man's-land, where his curses and magic were shorted out, due to the mass amounts of magic and protective charms around her house. Here, he could do no harm, and no harm could be done to him. He was safe...relatively.

Fai momentarily took the time to break his smile to sigh into his cup.

"Is there something wrong with your dinner, Fai?" Yuuko purred, leaning forward.

Blinking at the sudden intrusion into his thoughts, Fai smiled. "Nothing at all, it was wonderful! That assistant of yours really can cook, Yuuko-san!"

Yuuko smiled. "Yes…" she then waved her hand dismissively, waving whatever worries that hung in the air away as the rest of the group peered curiously down the table at Fai. "Go, relax. Take a bath," she advised, raising her wineglass to blood-red lips.

Fai stood. "I think I shall. Thank you for the meal," he chimed. The air was getting heavy with stares, and as he left the room, he was positive that he felt Kurogane's eyes on his back.

Fai padded down the hall, listening to laughter coming from the kitchen. Yuuko was saying something, then Sakura's light laughter cut through the chatter. The mage paused for a moment, smiling as he listened. It was a good thing that she hadn't been told about what happened on Celes.

Continuing down the hallway, the sudden thought of his home made him wince. Syaoran had been civil, because otherwise, Sakura would worry. The same with Kurogane… well, if civil was staring at him like he was dirt, then, sure, he was civil.

But this was in company; when they were alone… Fai chuckled. "It's like children playing the silent treatment game," he whispered, pushing the door open to the room he was forced to share.

His eyes grazed over the shelves of knickknacks and bric-a-brac that covered the walls. It seemed that there was something new on the wall everyday, and Fai never got tired of looking. Everything had a story, and it was fun to sit and imagine what they were and where they would eventually end up. Like, that golden ball in the corner: what wish had been paid with that?

Falling onto crumpled sheets, Fai breathed in deeply. Everything smelled faintly of vanilla, smoke, and alcohol. It was oddly comforting.

He sat back, thinking. It would be a long while before Kurogane came in and told him politely to get off the bed, he reasoned—it was his night to sleep on the floor. There was only one bed in the room, so they took turns—Fai allowed himself to unwind anyway.

Thoughts and worries left him, and he closed his eyes, falling into an unguarded sleep.

Again, the dream was the same; the scene in the castle of Celes…

Syaoran crying, face cradled in his hands, Kurogane leaning over him, glaring at Fai… "Those two you traveled with, of course, have been shown your past…" Then everyone else fell away. Ashura, the real Fai, and Syaoran faded from being.

They stood at odds, Fai staring shocked at the enraged Kurogane.

"I…" Words choked in Fai's throat. He couldn't say anything.

"You are nothing more than a liar… Fai," the swordsman spat. "Even your name was a lie, Yuui."

"NO!" Fai shot up, sweating. Blinking, he looked around, then found Kurogane standing in front of the bed, raising an eyebrow at him. "Ah! Kuro-tan! How… unexpected," Fai said softly, grinning at the man in front of him. The magician stood. "Well, off to the floor!" he chimed, smiling even though he'd rather scowl or frown or have no expression at all…

"Shut up," Kurogane growled.

Fai blinked. "Wh-what? Kuro-rii, what was that?" he stammered, his forced smile faltering.

Suddenly, Fai found himself face to face with the angry man. Looking down, he found Kurogane's fist tightly wound into the cloth of his shirt. There was no escaping now. "Really! Kuro-puu can be so violent!" he whined.

"Wipe that fake grin off your face."

Fai's face blanked in shock. "I…It's not fake," he lied.

"Act like you want to! Idiot! There's no need to lie!" Kurogane hissed, shaking Fai slightly.

Fai gasped. "It… it's the only way I know how to act," he said after a long time.

"You act like yourself. No one knows how to act, they do so on feelings. There's no need to know, it just comes naturally."

"Ah…" Fai leaned forward and laid his head on Kurogane's shoulder as he began to cry.

Sighing Kurogane rolled his eyes. "You really are as stupid as you look. Take my advice and don't cry. Save your tears until you've gotten over your pain. Go on living until you're not afraid of anything." He dropped his hand from Fai's shirt. "If you don't, you'll only be stopped by it all. I can't say whether the goal you're working for is noble or useless; it's not my place, but if it's something you want to do, then do it. Don't get caught back in yourself. "

Fai shook his head. "I can't. I'm going to ask the Witch to remove my curse. I don't want… to kill anyone again… because of my magic..."

"That's impossible. Syaoran already asked if she could do that. She said the price would be too great for any of us to handle, that your magic is part of your being and that only you can take away the remainder of it."

Fai shuddered. His only hope of being rid of the magic that made more of a murder, gone. "Then I can't travel with you guys anymore. Who knows what misfortune will befall us if I do?"

"I figured you'd say something like that," Kurogane said, stepping back slightly. "Sit," he instructed. After the magician had followed his order, he sat beside him. "I also asked more about what your king said about me. It's true… So I figure as long as I keep traveling, I can keep you from carrying out what you have to. Also… If you want, I'll do what I can to stop those bad dreams you've been having. "

"You…" Fai stared, shocked. This offer… it was…

Kurogane looked at Fai for a long moment. "Would you rather be controlled mindlessly?"

"It's not a mindless thing," Fai mumbled. "But, that would hinder my wish…"

"I thought you didn't want to kill. I'm offering you a respite. Protection. I'll never leave your side. ...Not because I have to stay with you, but because I want to. I want to protect you, so you won't have to worry any longer."

"…Well… yes… Thank you, Kuro-p…" Fai paused. That didn't feel right. "Kuro-ta…" Nor that. He ran over endless nicknames for the man next to him, but none of them how thankful he was at the moment. Finally, he settled on one. "Thank you, Kurogane."

There was silence for a moment, then Kurogane gave an annoyed grunt. "It's Kuro-rin, Kuro-tan, or Kuro-puu, or even Kuro-woof… Whatever stupid nickname you want to use," he mumbled, looking away as he scowled and blushed furiously.

Fai broke out into a large grin. "Kuro-woof!" he exclaimed, laughing. "I had almost forgotten about that one!" He leaned over and hugged his companion tightly and placed a gentle kiss to the swordsman's cheek. "Still, thank you…"

"Hey! Wake up you guys, it's time for breakfast!" Sakura chimed, barging into the room, flipping on the lights. "Oh!" Blushing slightly, she smiled, knowing that most of the tension in their group would be resolved as she regarded the scene before her.

Fai and Kurogane were curled up together on the bed, sheets tangled between them. Kurogane's arms were wrapped protectively around the mage, one hand tangled into the man's shoulder length, blonde hair.

Fai was far more elegant in his hold on Kurogane; one arm was wrapped lightly around the ninja's waist, the other around his shoulder, his fingers lightly digging into the skin of Kurogane's neck.

"Sakura? What's taking so long?" Syaoran poked his head into the room, instantly shushed by Sakura.

"Look!" she whispered happily. "They're getting along!"

Syaoran blinked, taken aback, blushing furiously. He grabbed the girl's arm, tugging her away from the scene.

And so, on the two slept, tangled against each other, dreaming the same contented dream.