Disclaimer: I think after all the time I spent with them, I have a right to say that they are somewhat mine.
However, legally speaking, they're still CLAMP's.

A/N: Finally, this is it. The epilogue has arrived… I really am sad to know that this story is over and yet, I also feel very proud of myself for finishing it.
I began writing AVLLC in the beginning of June 2009, which means that I've been working on this story for almost ten months. It's quite a long time to spend with characters, and I've grown attached to them... it's harder for me to let go of them than I had first planned, I must say^^'
Anyway, I would like to thank you all for following me through this adventure… And now, I'll leave you to your reading. I hope you will enjoy this last chapter.
Farewell,

Claire/Fania.

Quick word to the reviewer:

MisuzuIta: Yes, I think so as well :) Not everyone is lucky enough to find their true love, but when this happens, the best they can wish for is never to be parted from each other… that's why I wanted this ending for Fai and Kurogane. Especially Fai, since he's had to cope with so much hardship before 'finding' Kurogane :).
Thank you very much for your appreciation :)

Yoshikochan: I sincerely believe that sometimes, the mind can influence the body… sometimes, some people survive only because they have a reason to, and Fai's reason was Kurogane :) I really am very happy that you liked the story, it really makes me feel proud to know it.
My immediate projects won't be related to TRC (I have two multi-chaptered Fanfics planned) though I might write some AVLLC-related OS in the future. I'm not ready to go into another multi-chaptered TRC fanfic just yet… I still need to get used to the idea of not writing for AVLLC anymore :)
Thanks a lot for your support :)

Mademise Morte: Oh no, I'm the one thanking you! I know that not every story can keep a reader awake for a good part of the night, and I am very, very, very proud this story managed to keep you up for this long… so thank you for reading, and thank you for telling me how much you liked the story, it means a lot to me :) (And it's way past midnight now, and I'm still replying to reviews, so see? You readers are what keep me working^^)
Thanks as well for checking out my other works (though I daresay they are well below AVLLC in terms of quality^^') I hope you'll manage to understand everything… and if not, please, feel free to ask me questions, I don't bite^^
Thanks a lot for your kind words!

Ila-Hime: Ah, given the title of the chapter, I suppose it wasn't too difficult to guess :) Thank you for reading and leaving a review :)

Kinibop: Well, sadistically enough, I hope you will… because if you do, then it means that I have reached my goal as a writer, which is to touch people's heart :) I hope I'll see you around again (though I don't think I'll publish KuroFai stuff during the upcoming months… I still need to realize AVLLC really is over^^')
Thanks for reading, for your support and your kind answers to my questions :)

Jordanne: Well, I really am happy that I managed to touch your heart with this story :) Thank you very much for your kind support :)

Irene Gerke: Thank you very much for your review… you can't imagine how much it means to me that you have cried even though you knew what would happen, especially since I hope to be able to earn a living by writing someday :) Thanks for your support and appreciation :)

Kayla-chan1990: Ah, I was in the same mood for the past three chapters or so… I couldn't wait to show you what would happen next and yet I kept thinking "ah, it's over already" ^^' I really loved to work on this fanfiction, especially since it received a very good welcome... You and the other people who reviewed got me motivated enough to resume my working on my personal novel (not that I'll be abandoning fanfictions, mind you^^')… Thank you very much for following me through this fanfiction, it does mean a huge lot to me :)

TrueDespairOverlord: Yes, now the whole original crew of the story is dead… I suppose it is the natural ending for such a story: it began with the birth of their group of friends, and it ends with the death of its last two members… I couldn't have imagined ending this story in any other way… it's like ending a cycle. :)
I am really happy that you have enjoyed the story, it really means a lot to me :) Thanks for your support and reviews :)

Sainclair: The closest thing to a family tree I have is the list you can find at the end of Chapter 32, in fact… must be because there's so much of my OCs running in my head already, so one (ore twenty xD) more can't hurt that much… (or maybe I'm just not realizing how brainless I'm starting to become lol) And yeah, Kendappa and Souma felt like an evidence after reading RG Veda, so I couldn't imagine them as anything else than a couple here :)
Yeah, Kuro with rheumatism is a bit unexpected, even for me but… I don't know, must be the lost arm that managed to crawl its way in the fic somehow x) And Fai's story with Cherry flavored-drinks is a long one… I might write something about their encounter someday x)
Thank you very much for following me through AVLLC, and thank you for your kind support… I hope you'll enjoy the epilogue^^

Tuliharja: Ah yes it could be interesting too, depending on the writer's way of presenting their thoughts^^
Kuro-kun is just a giant plush-bear in the end 3 And you're right, he'd be crossdressing long before Fai would act naughty toward Ashura x) But that's because Fai really placed Ashura on a high pedestal.
That's what I think as well, and it's really good to know I managed to do that, it means I have progressed a lot as a writer :)
Ah well, I simply loved Chobits… just tell me what you thought about it if you read it :)
Ah yeah, the Junglebook would be excellent in musical as well^^
Well, I figured Fai and Kurogane wouldn't change this much when they'd grow old, so they just came naturally^^
Ah, their death made me cry when I wrote it ^///^'
And you should stop guessing what I'll do with my chapters, really x)

34 A Very Long Lasting Crush.

It had been a year since Souma and her had found Fai and Kurogane forever asleep on their bed. She had cried oh so much, cried herself to exhaustions for hours and hours in a row, until she didn't think she would be able to cry any more… and then, there had been the funerals. Hundreds of people had elbowed their way into the cathedral, thousands more had watched the ceremony from giant screens disposed across the country, and she didn't even want to try and imagine how many of them had followed the event on their TV screen.
She had been surprised at the new tears streaming down her face when her mother said a few word in their memory, when two of her cousins had played Fai's favorite piece of Mozart's… all the while, Souma's hand had been firmly set around hers, and the tan-skinned girl had never left her side. She had protected her from the hungry cameras waiting for them outside the church –even going so far as to punch a paparazzi to do so- she had directed her to the cars that had been appointed to bring them to the graveyard, where a more private ceremony was to be held. Souma had never left her, never wavered when Kendappa had gotten so desperate and tired that she had crumbled to the ground, her legs refusing to support her any longer. Though the death of her all-time idol had been a hard blow to her, she had never stopped to care for Kendappa's well being… and maybe that was why it had felt so natural to propose to her after the ceremony, even if they weren't even of age yet, even if no one really knew what their relationship would become.

And she had agreed.
Now, one year after Fai and Kurogane's peaceful passing, it was time to sort their belongings –which had only been transferred from their attic to Amateratsu's. And Souma was still there.
Hours they had spent looking through old clothes, choosing those which could stay, and those that should be given away… there had been tears, of course, but laughter also –much more laughter than tears- especially when Auntie Trisha had pulled out a reindeer outfit Grandpa Fai had talked Grandpa Kurogane into wearing for one of their nephews' earliest Christmas.

And then, in the end of the afternoon, Kendappa had felt Souma's hand pull at her sleeve. When she turned around, her eyes instantly fell on a box literally packed with DVDs, all hand-labeled.

"It must be Grandma Tomoyo's videos." Uncle Ted had said.

There had been a long silence, until Kendappa silently took the box from Souma's hands and began to go back downstairs, the others soon following her. She waited until everyone was settled in the living room to insert the first DVD into the player and press the button "play".

oOo

"Mommy! I wanna see!"

The young, girly voice burst into laughter as vigorous hands in their early thirties lifted the child into the air, the hem of her red-fur rimmed white dress floating around her as a blonde man made her spin around him. The small child let out happy shouts of excitement, causing the adults around her to laugh heartily.

"Now honey, that's enough," said a voice coming from behind the camera recorder. "Otherwise you won't be able to keep your lunch inside of you!"

The small girl laughed as she stopped spinning around, and she tightly hugged the blonde man's neck.

"I like it when you do that, Uncle Fai!" she giggled.

"I'm not you Uncle!" he retorted. "I'm your father."

"Noo!" she giggled again. "You're Uncle Fai!"

"Prove it!" The adult dared her, which caused another fit of giggles.

"You have a scar on your eye, silly!"

Fai pretended to be offended for an instant, before he smiled to his niece and shook her hand.

"You're right Freya, I really am Fai. You're a smart brat, aren't you?"

"I think I am!" the child approved.

"Hey, Smarty!" Kurogane's voice called from beyond the camera's reach, "tell your Uncle and Mother we'll eat their part of the dinner if they don't come over here quickly!"

Freya instantly squirmed out of Fai's arms and ran straight for the dining room. Fai soon followed her and Tomoyo followed his brother in law, her camera still recording. Everyone else was already seated, and there were but two places left: one on Yuui's left, and the other on Kurogane's right.
Fai shot a surprised glance toward Hiromu, who raised an eyebrow.

"What?"

"It's just that… since you've only been aware of Kuro-Miew and I being together for two days, I hadn't expected to be seated near him… not that I don't like it, it's just…"

"Oh, take your seat already!" Sonomi interrupted, blushing. "Since you've been in love for…" she paused. "By the way, how long have you been in love with each other?"

"I don't know for Fai," Chii smiled before anyone else had had a chance to answer, "but Kuro has been in love with him ever since he got married with Ashura!"

"Which makes…" Hiromu quickly calculated: "Nine years ago."

There was a long silence as everyone including Fai –maybe especially Fai- proceeded with the information.

"I'm not in love." Kurogane finally protested in a grumpy tone, his very red face determinately looking away from his companion. "It's just a crush."

"Well, if it's only a crush," Fai laughed softly, "then it's a very long-lasting one."

End of A Very Long Lasting Crush.

Last Update: My Little Prince Charming. A translation of Mon Petit Prince Charmant, the One Shot that started it all :)