A/N: After this one, there's only the final chapter left! I know this one kind of wraps most things up, but the end (or maybe the beginning?) isn't quite here yet. Enjoy!

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Twenty-Nine: Yours

Fai collapsed spread eagle on the bed, wincing as his muscles complained of the sensation of a hard mattress against his back. It was brand-new and still stiff, and they hadn't gotten around to putting pads and sheets on it to make it gentler. All of their things were still in boxes strewn around the room in a maze just orderly enough for them to have a narrow path to walk through. Actually unloading them seemed like something they'd have to do in a distant future where they weren't completely exhausted from dragging them into the apartment in the first place.

Fai felt something cold against his cheek and lifted his eyes; Kurogane was there holding out a can of cola to him. He smiled faintly as Kurogane massaged his face with it. He was thirsty, but even more than that, the sweat beading down his face was getting unbearable.

"I'll order a pizza," Kurogane said when Fai finally took the drink. "Get some rest."

"You don't have to tell me twice, Kuro-pon."

While Kurogane punched the number to the closest pizza parlor into his phone, Fai glanced around their new apartment. Just the fact that it was theirs to begin with was enough to make him fall in love with it. It was bigger than their old dorm rooms, and had a small but serviceable kitchenette and dining area, a bedroom with room for their king sized bed, a bath and shower room, and a family room just the right size for their TV and bookshelves. It didn't have much character to it yet since they hadn't been able to unload their possessions or find new furniture for the family room and dining area, but he had faith that when they made it their own, it would be beautiful. Already he could imagine himself cooking in the kitchen, sitting on the couch in front of the TV watching Maganyan with Kurogane, and spending lots of quality time in the bed once it was fitted with covers.

When he was finished on the phone, Kurogane pulled off his shirt and fell down on the bed beside Fai.

"Huaaa, are you seducing me, Kuro-chan?" Fai teased, resting his head on Kurogane's shoulder. "Should I give in?"

"Don't you mean 'Can I give in?' It's going to be a no. Besides, they haven't turned our water on yet. And the pizza guy's coming."

"No fun," Fai said just to be stubborn. Honestly, he wasn't quite in the mood to have sex with a worn down body that would then have to be doubly sweaty until their shower worked.

"Quit whining. Save up your energy for when we actually have to do something with all those boxes."

"Hmmm." Fai turned his head so his lips were pressing against Kurogane's ear. "Nee, I have something I need to say to you."

"...yeah?"

"For the bed, I was thinking about a princess canopy and Hello Kitty sheets. The carpeting in the family room should be orange shag and match the cupcake footstools I'm going to buy with my next paycheck."

"Oh, shut up," Kurogane said darkly, giving Fai's chin a gentle tap. "We're getting all black."

"Boring! You have to let me do at least some of the design. Can't we do it in blue?"

"If that's what you want."

"It is."

"Then fine. Blue isn't all that far from black."

Fai lifted his head up and grinned. "This is a rather adult conversation we're having."

"We're adults, what do you expect? Just because one of us never grew up..."

"Waiiii! Kurorin thinks I'm immature? I'll have you know that cupcakes are incredibly mature!"

"And is calling people 'Kurorin' mature now, too?"

"I don't see why not!" Fai's smile softened a little. "Nee, Kurorin?"

"Hmm?"

"Now that we're adults and all now... I've been thinking. You know that thing where you can adopt someone onto the family registry in place of getting a marriage certificate and all? I'm thinking maybe we should do that."

Kurogane lifted an eyebrow, but didn't immediately say anything.

"I don't mean that I need a special promise from you or anything," Fai said quickly. "I don't care about marriage or anything like that. I just think... being able to take care of each other no matter what happens... I think that's something we should do."

Kurogane studied him carefully. "You're thinking of your parents a little bit?"

"A little bit. I'm hoping that neither of us have troubles, but if something happens... well, I just want to be sure that both the people closest to me- you and Yui- are recognized as my family."

"Okay, then. Let's get our apartment set up first, and then we'll think about that."

"...seriously?"

"Come on. What was the point of suggesting it in the first place if you didn't think I would do it?"

"I don't know. I at least thought you would take a bit more convincing?"

"Why? I don't care about marriage either, but I don't have anything against the whole registry thing. It would be a pain if you ended up in the hospital or something and all those stupid visiting rights rules got in the way. It's not like I want to have to stand outside your window holding flowers like in those silly shows you watch. So why not?"

"Ah... it makes me very happy that you said that, but couldn't you have phrased it more romantically?"

"Says the guy who thought I would need more convincing to begin with," Kurogane muttered. "Look, I know that things like 'I'll always stay by your side' don't mean the same thing to you as they do to other people. You can't promise that to someone who has lost people without warning, so I'm not about to say that you can't have a little bit of reassurance you want. Besides, it really would be a pain for me too, you know? If I have to go out like in one of your melodramas, I'd at least want to have you there. I'm still drawing the line at the cupcake footstools, though."

"All right, no footstools," Fai said with a smile. "As long as you promise to think about it."

"I will." Kurogane sat up, massaging his shoulders. "God, did those boxes multiply when I wasn't looking?"

Fai lifted his head and groaned. "They're everywhere. I think they moved in instead of us. We may have to just give them the house and live on the streets."

"Seriously, why the hell did we move?"

"Could it be that Kuro-chan loves me?"

"Why are you still asking that?"

"Huaaa, he does! He really does!" Fai threw his arms around Kurogane's waist. "Let's stay here and have fun for a nice long time, okay?"

Kurogane smiled, gently resting his chin on top of Fai's head. "If that's what you want."

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