Title: Of Tinsel and Mistletoes
Fandom: Tsubasa RESERVoir CHRoNiCLE
Pairing: Kurogane/Fai
Rating: Light PG-13. If such a thing exists.
Word Count: 1,140
Summary/Description: Kurogane and Fai have a run-in with a sprig of mistletoe.
Warning/Spoilers: Shounen-ai (ya don't say!) No spoilers.
A/N: Some Christmas cuteness. PM, I was actually going to write you Jyounouchi/Mai, but Fai kept popping up in my head and doing cute things. And well… that wizard does a mean cute-face.
Dedication: For Pikachumaniac-san. :-)
Disclaimer: If I owned Tsubasa RESERVoir CHRoNiCLE, stuff like this would actually happen.
"Relax, Kuro-puu. You're scaring all the little children away with that frown of yours."
The ninja's scowl only deepened, and he bluntly disregarded the wizard's suggestion. The room in which the gala was being held was becoming full and stuffy, and there were just entirely too many people, lights, and tinsel everywhere for Kurogane to feel anything but cagey and distinctly uncomfortable.
"Here, have some of this." Fai, reclining in a chair next to Kurogane's, passed him a mug of thick white liquid. The brunet took it, sniffed at it gingerly, grimaced, and promptly chucked it into a nearby plant pot, not even bothering to try to be inconspicuous about it. The blond made a cluck-clucking noise of mock-dismay.
"Now, now, Kuro-wan. If you keep all this up, our hosts are going to think that you're not enjoying yourself." The cerulean eyes sparkled with amusement, and his companion glowered harder.
"This is all pointless," he grumbled, slouching in his chair. "Shouldn't we be out looking for her feather?" He jerked a thumb to the princess, who was over at the big, bright, tinselly, overly-decorated tree with the brat, exclaiming in awe over its loveliness. "I want to hurry up and get out of this world. It's bright. And annoying." His brow wrinkled as the party-goers started up another round of carols.
"Ah, don't be such a killjoy, Kuro-ko," Fai reprimanded airily, sipping his eggnog happily. "It would have been rude to refuse when Johnson-san invited us." He smiled fondly at their host, an elderly man who was currently encircled by his plenteous progeny. "And besides," the mage went on, "look at how much fun Syaoran-kun, Sakura-chan and Mokona are having." He gestured towards their younger companions. They were now sampling from the wide range of dishes at the buffet table. Mokona was surrounded by a multitude of party guests, all of whom were trying to figure out just exactly what the little white thing was. The manjuu was hopping from foot to foot with frenetic cheer, and gleefully soaking up all the attention.
Kurogane grunted, and continued to look bored and irritated with everything in general. Fai sighed, shook his head in a chiding sort of way, and set down his mug.
"Come on, Kuro-tan," he said, surging to his feet in one graceful movement, his long limbs stretching. "I know what you need." Without any warning, he grasped hold of the warrior's hand, wrenched him to a stand, and began pulling him through the crowds towards the doorway. Kurogane yelled and put up protests and groused on principle, but he was actually happy to get away from all the noisy people, and the saturated room.
Fai wormed his way through the throngs of guests easily, muttering, "Excuse me,", "Pardon me," and "I'm terribly sorry, was that your foot?" as they went along. Soon, they found themselves at the entrance of the grand house, which led to the extensive porch. The sky above them was a wide expanse of black silk, glittering with millions of iridescent stars; the air around them was crisp, and cool, and clean, and almost refreshing to breathe in, tangy to taste on the tongue.
"Isn't this better, Kuro-pipi?" Fai chirped brightly, smiling up at his companion.
Kurogane, realising that his fingers were still intertwined with those of the blond's, only jerked his hand away, and mumbled something noncommittal.
"Stop calling me weird names," he added absently, a moment later.
They stood together silently in the doorway, the music and noise of the party dulling in the background behind them, the quiet night air washing over them, cooling them.
"The people in this world are stranger than I thought," Kurogane commented eventually, lips fixed in a scowl. When the magician raised questioning eyebrows at him, he jerked his head upwards, and the azure eyed followed the movement. "They have twigs hanging in their doorways."
Fai smiled up at the decoration.
"Ah, yes, but it's a very pretty twig, isn't it? It's called a misty-toe," he informed the ninja authoritatively. "One of Johnson-san's daughters was telling me about it. There's some sort of rule or something attached to it. Something like, when two people stand under…"
"You have something in your hair."
"Hmm?" Fai asked, losing his train of thought.
The warrior rolled his eyes, folded his arms across his chest, and threw the magus a dirty look for no apparent reason.
"You have one of those ridiculous, silvery things caught in your hair."
"I do?" Pale hands fluttered in the air around his fair tresses. "Where?"
Kurogane's scowl looked as if it was carved into his face. He gave the wizard a few darting peripheral glances. The blue-eyed man was trying unsuccessfully to locate the piece of tinsel in his hair. The crimson-eyed man glared at him for a few moments before turning towards him, unfolding his arms.
"It's right here, you idiot," he mumbled. He lifted tanned fingers to the golden locks, deftly untangled the piece of tinsel and threaded it through the flaxen strands of hair. Cobalt blue eyes watched his every move.
"Thank you," Fai said, blinking, as Kurogane flicked the thing away. The ninja grunted in reply, and kept his gaze averted for a while. But only for a while. Soon, somehow, again, red was meeting blue and Kurogane felt like he had something lodged in his throat. He didn't very much like the feeling.
Later, Kurogane would try to dissect and analyse the moment; try to figure out what had propelled him, what invisible force had curled his arm around his companion's waist, and lowered his head; try to discern what had been that strange light glinting in Fai's eyes that he had seen before his own eyes slid closed. But for now, he simply kissed him.
It was like a tiny electric shock, the touch of lip against lip. At first, Fai recoiled minutely, before pressing himself into the warmth of his companion, a hand at the back of the warrior's neck. Their lips roved over each other's, smooth and slow and a little slick; warm breath escaping the corners of their mouths to puff against their cheeks.
They pulled away at the same time, Fai looking a little bemused and frazzled, but more or less pleased, and Kurogane looking flabbergasted, as if he had just realised what he had been doing. The brunet cleared his throat, shifted his eyes, and quickly fell into a reasonable imitation of nonchalance. Fai blinked up at him, a small smile beginning to curve his lips upwards.
"So," the taller man said gruffly for lack of anything better to say, "what's the rule behind this stupid twig anyway?" He glanced up at the mistletoe.
The blond cocked his head, and shrugged, nonsensical grin in full effect.
"I don't know. I can't seem to remember."
A/N: Muahahahaha. Does Fai really not remember, or was it all part of his clever plan to get Kuro-puu to give him a nice smooch? I guess we'll never know. Anyway, review, please. I'd love to know what you think.