[A/N: Blegh. Sorry 'bout making Eriol seem so weak…but y'know how he commented that he had healed his own bones after the Flight card, and then how he healed Syaoran's back after the Fight card? Well, I was figuring…how much magic can a mage use before he starts to become at least slightly tired? *shrug* So, yeah. He just wasn't fast enough to react to the Mirror card before she got a few good blows in. *blinku* Hope that clears that up for 'ya ^_^;; *ahem* And I'd like to know if anyone knows anything about Syaoran's dad…I didn't notice them saying anything about him in the series…y'know, I could use that as a major plot device…MUAHAHAHA!! _; ….riiiiight…. So if anyone knows, just put it in your review please!]
Disclaimer: I don't own them. And I can't, for the life of me, think of a witty comment to stick here right now. Hey, gimme a break, this is my 8th Disclaimer for this story alone…I'm running out of ideas! ;-;
Title: Love Painted Black
Chapter VIII: Akurei
The light rivers of awareness were trickling slowly through his veins, bringing also a strange scent. A…clean scent. A far too clean scent.
An instant fear invaded his senses.
The rough feel of a thin sheet pulled up around his neck only served to heighten this fear.
He was in a Hospital.
Eriol had yet to figure out why he had this unreasonable dread of hospitals…perhaps an ancient memory of Clow's that he hadn't managed to uncover yet? That sounded most logical.
Inhaling sharply, his fists clenched tightly at his side, quite suddenly causing him to realize that in his grip, there was a smaller fist in his own. A warm, callused hand that was familiar and strong.
Slowly blinking open his tired navy eyes, Eriol stared down at the offending limb, slowly letting his sight travel up the length of the arm until it came to the head of unruly brown hair.
Li Syaoran was currently asleep in a chair next to his bed, the smaller boy's head resting on the edge of the mattress, cheek buried into the crook of his arm. His other hand lay in Eriol's grip, comforting… like he had been there all night.
Smiling that all-knowing, entirely-too-charming, trademark Eriol Smile(™), the mage slowly moved his slim fingers out of his descendant's grip. Brushing the chocolate hair from his eyes, he nudged Syaoran until – with a groggy curse and 'Just 5 more minutes Wei…' – his descendant woke up.
Seeing his suspiciously close proximity to the mage, Li instantly bolted backwards, now sitting in his chair as far away from Eriol as possible. His cheeks were bright crimson. With a nonchalant cough, he rubbed the back of his head in embarrassment. "Oh…um…good morning…"
Eriol smiled sweetly. "I'm in a hospital," he informed the smaller boy, his muscles still tense, his body radiating discomfort at the all-too-sterile surroundings.
Li lowered his eyes. "Well, yeah… um… You kinda got your ass whooped…and seeing as I have very limited healing magic," he pointed to the cast wrapped around Eriol's rib cage, and the one holding up his leg, "I found it kinda hard to stop you from bleeding all over my carpet…"
Eriol slowly nodded. "I'm in a hospital," he repeated helpfully.
Syaoran was watching his feet with rapt interest. "Um…yeah. I think we've already established that fact Hiiragizawa." He sighed, reddening slightly again. "And see? I stayed here all night. Just so you wouldn't be afraid. And I've got this horrible kink in my back. Hospital chairs aren't the most comfortable to sleep in. Hell, I think I'm getting soft. I've slept in trees before…Note to self: Need to train more. Mother would kill me if he knew how lax I've been…But you know what? I'd pay to see the day when my Mother sleeps outside. Come to think of it, the only training she's been through is magical. Pfft. And you know? She doesn't have any healing magic either. I wonder where that disappeared along the line, seeing as you have quite a bit and all… But we didn't have enough supplies and stuff to heal you at home, so I kinda had to bring you here, even though you don't like hospitals--"
A hand on his shoulder stopped his nervous monologue. "It's …fine…just… don't leave?"
The youngest clan member looked up at his ancestor, surprised. Never had he seen Eriol showing anything but his cool composure, and superiority. It was a vast change to see the powerful mage looking so uncertain, so…young. Like a 15-year-old boy. "I…um…alright." Syaoran agreed finally, his auburn gaze trained on his own hands, instead of the other's navy eyes.
There was a long pause. Comfortable silence drifted through the small room, settling down around them like a fine coat of dust. And, like with dust, someone just *has* to blow it off and send it all scattering through he air again. "Um…I'm gonna go get something to drink…"
"No you're not."
Li blinked. "Um…why not?"
"Because then you would be leaving." Eriol's eyes remained closed.
"But--"
"Nope."
Syaoran sighed in irritation. There was another pause, then, "Okay. Fine. When are you gonna get enough magic to heal yourself anyway? It could take months for all those bones to mend on their own!"
"I have enough magic already."
"Okay…and why don't you use it?"
Eriol was silent.
"Don't you want to leave the hospital?!"
"Nope."
The youngest Li clan member face vaulted. "What?!"
"We're not leaving." A pause. "Until you admit that you like me."
A large sweatdrop travelled down the side of Li's face. "What?!"
"That's right. I know you do. You just won't admit it." Eriol's expression was beyond smug. He was back to his normal self. "But don't worry, if you decide to keep denying it, my healing should only take a couple of months, right?"
Syaoran's mouth opened and closed, reminding Eriol briefly of a fish out of water. The smaller boy scowled. "You're such a…a jerk Hiiragizawa."
Eriol raised an eyebrow.
Syaoran shifted uneasily in his seat. "Fine. You're…um…Yeah. I don't mind being with you." He flushed brightly and turned away. "Happy?"
The mage chuckled and sat up in the bed. "All better."
Li blinked. "That quick?"
Eriol nodded. "That quick. Now, let's get out of here, shall we?"
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
"Oh god no…not another one…" Syaoran groaned, rubbing his temples with his two forefingers. "I just *had* to sense it, didn't I? I just *had* to!"
Eriol trotted up amiably beside him, then chuckled. "Another one I see. So this is it? Kind of ironic…"
The shorter boy spun around and grabbed two fistfuls of the mage's shirt, shaking him rather violently. "Why?! Why me?" He jerked a thumb over towards the object of woe. "I thought it was just you and Sakura!"
Said object of woe sat silently on a shelf in a small gift shop, it's tiny black eyes and red fur accompanied by two tiny bat's wings, and a pointed tail.
The small stuffed animal that resembled Kero FAR too much for Li's liking was at the moment lifeless in its tiny form, radiating a magical force that was a stark contrast to the Cards' animalistic kind of power.
"So, you don't suppose we can just leave it here?" Li looked rather hopeful.
Eriol sighed, shaking his head as he picked the 'stuffed animal,' up, and brought it over to the counter. After paying for it, he promptly handed it back to Li. "He's all yours, Syaoran."
Syaoran held the 'stuffed animal,' at arm's-length, looking at it distastefully. "Huh. Why did you have to get it, Hiiragizawa?" he asked sullenly.
Eriol smiled a little too slyly. "You don't like me getting you gifts my kawaii little wolf?"
A strangely high pitched and giggly voice sounded instantly from behind the counter. "Ooh, are you two dating?" A teenage girl stood behind them, eyes sparkling, an eager smile lightning up her pretty heart shaped face.
Li's cheeks flared a vibrant crimson instantly. "NO!" he said, a little too forcefully.
She giggled again. "Oh, there's no need to be shy!" she gushed enthusiastically, "I'm a big supporter of the Gay Community! You shouldn't have any shame in being a minority!"
Syaoran was spluttering, and Eriol's smile resembled that of a Cheshire cat. Opening and closing his mouth, the youngest Li clan member stood for a moment before grabbing the collar of Eriol's shirt, turning on his heel, and yanking the mage violently out of the shop. (Whilst, of course, literally squeezing the stuffing out of his new Kero-look-alike.)
The two were at least half way back to Li's apartment when the mage finally spoke again, detaching his descendant's hold on his shirt. "Why, Syaoran," he said lightly. "One might almost think you had something to hide back there."
He hadn't known Li could get any redder, but the boy did. Muttering something that sounded quite like, "Hentai…" they finished their walk in silence.
Wei wasn't home when the two boys got back, which left them alone… together… Li's face flared up again, and he prodded the 'stuffed animal,' to take his mind off things.
Things?
Oh Kami.
Li's cheeks were going back to their original color finally when he balanced his hands on his hips, huffing in mild irritation. "What is wrong with you?!" he asked rhetorically. Fortunately, Eriol took it to mean that he was talking about the Kero-look-alike.
"I don't know," Eriol said, frowning slightly. "Maybe you need to command it to return to its original form. Or tell it to speak to you."
"Then talk, you stupid stuffed animal," Li growled insultingly, poking the small 'stuffed animal's fluffy head. A large sweatdrop rolled down the furry red face, and its eye twitched.
"I am NOT a stuffed animal, I have a name. Akurei, Master of Hell!"
Eriol and Li stared at the 'master of hell', then at each other, then at Akurei again. After a long silence, Eriol spoke. "Well, at least it talked."
Li sweatdropped.
[A/N: **Insert dramatically evil laughter here** o_O;; Ah yes, well, I've finally finished this chapter! Woo-hoo!! ^_^ You can't blame me at the inconsistency of the timing for updates, I have a lot going on you know! *begins counting on her fingers* Stupid, evil, stupid Chores (and TRYING not to get grounded for 'accidentally' adding too much chili powder into the chili…^_^;; ), too much homework (Blegh…evil 8th grade…), and I've just started Japanese classes!! Baka C-chan! Japanese is haaaard!!! ;-; Yeah. Sooo, anywhoosles, *excessive virtual glompings sent to Daelan* (mah WONDERFUL beta reader, whom wrote most of the very end of the chappie…Much Love!!). More glompings sent out to my reviewers (51 REVIEWS!! YEEHAW!!!!), Luuurve 'yall!! Keep 'em coming!!! (AND DON'T FORGET TO TELL ME ABOUT SYAO-KUN'S DAD!!) …Okay, and as I was going to upload this, I caught wind of Mabis's flame. And, as promised, I will not take this badly. It' just criticism from a blatantly sour person, whom has no taste in stories. *sticks out tongue* ^_^;; Anyway, *whips out marshmallows* Anyone want a S'more?]