Title: Midnight
Tracings
Pairing: KuroFai
Disclaimer: These two
were hatched from the collective brain of CLAMP. Not mine.
Spoilers:
Just a very minor one for the latest omake. :shrugs:
Rating:
PG
Word Count: About 400. (Very short "flashfic.")
Kurogane always sleeps deeply, his chest rising and falling with a steady, even rhythm. Fai envies Kurogane this, that the ninja should attack and conquer sleep itself with his usual single-mindedness. His body needs sleep to rest and repair itself, thus he commands it and it obeys. The ninja probably had his day planned and timed to a rigid schedule, including his sleep schedule; his eyes always popped open at roughly the same time each morning, no matter what world they were on or time zone or whether or not they'd spent the previous night drinking and carousing.
Fai wishes he could drift off so easily, but his overactive imagination has always eluded all his attempts to subdue it, dancing beyond his grasp like a fickle, teasing wind. More often than not, Fai has found himself sleeping on his stomach, so that at the very least he can deny his rebellious imagination the privilege of staring at the ceiling and conjuring up fantastical and occasionally horrific images from the water stains or clumps of dust that lurk on most ceilings.
Still, there was one advantage to falling asleep later than Kurogane. Fai allows himself a rare, unguarded smile as he inches closer to Kurogane. Fai's hands flutter over the sleeping warrior's bare back, light as butterfly wings so he won't cause Kurogane to stir. At first, as always, the touches are no more than that, just a physical, undeniable reminder that he is there and Kurogane is there and everything is alright even if only for tonight. But – as always – the touches inevitably evolve into intricate tracings of spells for various blessings and protections. Tonight he draws one for long life, one for strength, one for happiness. Even if the long life is without him, the strength used in the service of a foreign princess, and the happiness is with another. Fai is not selfish enough to believe that he deserves Kurogane. Each night he accepts as undeserved, each day as a gift. Perhaps the next jump will send them to Kurogane's Japan.
Nothing is permanent, but Fai still longs to leave some mark on Kurogane, no matter how small or unnoticed or insignificant. Hence he finds himself returning to the tracings on sleepless nights.
He does not, of course, speak the words which would give the tracings power. They are empty.
But the sentiment is not.
A/N: this is inspired from the fifth omake which is set during the current Rekoruto / Magic London-ish world arc. It's a cute little bit about Mokona reporting the TRC gang's sleeping habits to Yuuko. Well, cute but still kinda creepy. Yuuko and Fei Wong both have this magic-stalker-spy schtick going on. Anyway, comments appreciated!