Genuine

Intro: -Keith Urban, 'Days Go By'- Yuko equals crazy perfect yaoi fan-girl matchmaker – or so say the reviewers. Idea sprung from a DD fic and then I put two and two together… Shweet du moi! (heart)

A/N: Ok-Wee… Thank you for reading! Please enjoy!

"Everyone understands why they're here today, correct?" Yuko announced, glaring at all the 'actors.' She wore a long, tight, dark purple overcoat with an orange scarf and matching stubby glasses. Her bottoms were black tights, almost the same color as her jacket. Her shiny high heels clicked on the ground as she made her way around the group, watching their every move.

The children nodded, not in the usual attire of the current world. Sakura's clothing was similar, but not exact. Sakura's outfit was a long salmon skirt with overlaying tiers of loose sheets and a white blouse covered by a dim green shawl. Syaoran wore country-French styled peasant-looking attire. Fai nodded. His clothes were… well, that's for later. Kurogane wasn't even there for the time being.

Yuko nodded her head, allowing her tight ponytail to sway in the wind. "Right then, let's get on with it!"

The play was… beauty and the beast. How the HELL did it end up like THIS?

Fai started singing a musical number, smiling to himself and glancing at the ninja as he danced along. Kurogane wasn't in this particular scene, but Fai was always watching him, anyhow. Even so, it looked as if he was watching the empty seats that would be the audience instead of the ninja.

In order to understand this fully… One must go way back to White day. Yuko-Chan, upon receiving nothing for White Day, ordered the party back and then as her price, ordered them all to produce a play. The play of course was the troop's choice – in her understanding. The plays she gave them to choose from were Sleeping Beauty, Cinderella, the Little Mermaid, and Beauty and the Beast.

Yuko, being the secretive person she is, allowed Kurogane to choose. The dark man didn't know much of any the plays. However, he did recall a single scene from Beauty and the Beast when the mage took him along to see it a few worlds ago.

Time passed by. Mokona and Larg filmed the show with large cameras. Watanuki, who was introduced as Yuko's, 'slave,' projected the lights and served refreshments. Domeki, Watanuki's 'friend,' assisted Yuko in directing the characters. A few more friends of Watanuki's, including this, 'Himawari,' chick, helped teach the leads their roles and served as extras.

Yuko growled, furrowing her eyebrows into a glare. With her hands on her hips, she yelled something to the ninja. Kurogane ignored her, though. Again she yelled before the brunette sighed in victory.

The jet-black-haired woman groaned in annoyance. She pulled out a rather large mega-phone from her belt. "CUT! Beast! We need more… BODY MOVEMENT! More lust! Where is the LOVE?"

Kurogane flinched. That… was him. The beast. In order to choose roles, the witch forced the four members to choose a line on a sheet of paper. It was called, 'the ladder game.' At the end of the individual lines was a name. That name chose the role the owner of the line played. As hitsuzen would have it, Kurogane got stuck with the role he did NOT want to play.

The beast was a lead role. The muscular man wanted a small role out of anything, but of course he just HAD to get a lead.

It was a new day. Maybe today his bossy director wouldn't eat him up for all the wrong lines he rehearsed or all the faults he made. His outfit was at its best: a dark overcoat with two tails in the back, matching pants, vests, and his stiff collar. The shoes were correct and his stocking were tucked into the leggings perfectly. Yuko gave him extensions to the back of his hair which was now pulled into a tight, low ponytail.

"O-KAY!" Yuko shouted through her megaphone, Domeki besides her, nodding in agreement, "This time I want to see flirting! I want to see love! Kurogane, act like you're horny and Fai is the object of your desire! ACTION!"

"What the Hell?" the ninja's stride tripped on the flat stage – a bad move for not even five minutes into the play.

"CUT!" Yuko stated with fury, strutting to the offender, "My request is simple, Kurogane! Now-you-WILL-do-this!" She said, poking him with each word. She turned back, smirking at the ninja, whispering, "It's not like you haven't been horny with Fai as the object of your desires before, right?"

Kurogane flinched. He screamed, shaking his head quickly from side-to-side, "NO! NU-UH!"

Yuko grinned with zeal, "You can't hide it from me, ninja. It's your hitsuzen. What will be, will be. This is all a part of it. It's only natural, after all."

Fai sat patiently in his puffy, light blue dress. Yuko didn't force him to wear a wig, but she thought it might have been better to give him extensions later on in the production. The dress was tired beautifully and complimented with the best craftsmanship Fai had ever seen. The translucent fabric slipped lowly on Fai's elegant shoulders until the corset was reached.

The vocal point of the dress – the corset – was so beautiful, even Kurogane would admit it. The dress and its frills, bows, and tiers were made of mixtures of lace and silk of varying colors. What made the outfit all the more stunning was that beautiful sterile smile.

The perfect gleam didn't fade, only widened as if he heard every single word Yuko said.

"What was that about, Kuro-Chin?" the mage inquired, running up to the other as he fitted into place. Kurogane grunted. They had been working at the play for almost a week now and finally – FINALLY – they almost reached the climax.

The current scene was a waltz. Fai was rather good at the dance, but the big puppy just couldn't get it. The blonde tried numerous times to teach it to him, but all to no avail. When Fai danced, though, it seemed as if golden locks would glide in sync with that slender body.

The ninja couldn't complain. He had found some skill in the dance and it wasn't all that bad. Dancing with Fai was… calming. He had danced with Fai before this, but it was to club music. It was upbeat, exhilarating. Right now, this moment was making Kurogane feel alive in a totally different way. Gah. Bad thought. Kurogane jerked his head to a side with a loud popping noise.

Fai snickered, turning his head to the side. "It's says the beast should have a light blush through the waltz scene, not turn into a tomato."

This only made the other turn even redder. Again Fai smiled as the immature adult cuddled into Kurogane's chest. The ninja's blush stabilized, his arms automatically embracing the mage without that intent.

"YES! That's it! CUT!" Yuko cheered, clapping her hands. Domeki slowly clapped his hands alongside her. In fact, even the children were cheering the two on. Kurogane was doing something right.

Kurogane's face popped. "You! You can't use that! I mean-"

"ACTION!" Yuko announced with a large grin on her face.

Fai picked up at the same pace again in their former position. Kurogane was startled at first, but realized the music was picking up. He treaded Fai's movements perfectly without error.

The climax of the dance was reached. Kurogane dipped Fai as he was instructed to. However, the dip seemed lower and more dramatic to both him and the other. In fact, Fai was so enraptured that both his breathing and heart skipped a beat.

It was only a lasting second, but in Kurogane's eyes it could have been days. In an instant the blonde had pulled himself into the other's arms and brought their lips together intimately.

There was a lingering silence in the air after a large, 'gasp,' from the crowd of extras. The one who broke the silence was the director herself, of course. Yuko clapped, yelling 'cut!' and, 'perfect!' and, 'bravo! Encore!' at the two like a water faucet without knobs. Soon the extras came around, clapping in encore at a scene that made them feel alien.

The two stayed like that for quite some time. Fai was looking deep into crimson eyes saying, 'I'm sorry,' and, 'let me stay here for just a little while longer, please.'

The black-clad man growled, letting go of the wizard. Fai was allowed to fall onto the floor backwards. He stomped off the stage with anger in his eyes.

-O-

Sitting harshly on a wooden seat, he immersed a hand into his forehead. "Damn it!"

Everything was perfect. The outfits were perfect, the set was perfect. It was beautiful. The scene was authentic French architecture with the most elegant marbled floors. The windows and stage were set at such an angle that although it was early morning, the stage was played at sunset. It was his first kiss – with either the mage or anyone else – and it was perfect. The long awaited kiss exactly how Kurogane had foreseen it – not that he ever dreamt about it. So why was it so frustrating?

"Agonizing, isn't it, because you can't do anything? It's out of your reach," a somewhat-confident voice commented, extended a red liquid to the actor. Kurogane glanced up at the boy. Dark hair dropped loosely on his spectacles. Watanuki, the, 'slave,' of Yuko's shop, extended an all-knowing glance.

"It's not as bad as being as slave. I mean, I'm sure you have to do this every day," the taller man growled, snatching the drink away.

Watanuki chuckled, running a hand through his dark bangs. "I'm talking about the teasing. I know what it's like. You think you know something, but you're not entirely sure because it's one of those implied statements. Then, something happens and all you can think of is, 'Why? Why didn't you tell me?' It's almost like being betrayed."

A dark eyebrow poked up at the pale boy, who was intently glancing over at the figure by Yuko's side. Domeki, in all his stoic glory, silently nodded at Yuko. He was a man of little words. Kurogane smirked, "You like that guy?"

"Like you can talk!" the high-schooler laughed out, a little harder this time, "I'm nowhere as near as touching you and the blonde! You two are so noticeable it's sickening!"

Kurogane was taken aback. He realized the other was accusing him of something he himself did not want to confront. If Fai wasn't in love with him, he would never have to face that fact if he was in denial.

"Is…it that obvious?" the ninja snorted.

Watanuki slumped onto the ground. "Your companions don't seem to have noticed. And Himawari-Chan doesn't seem to have taken in to, either. It's an act, anyways. You're supposed to fake something to the point it becomes reality."

Kurogane flinched at that comment. However, it did prove some hope. 'Act to the point it becomes real…' Fai always acted. Maybe his act would seep into reality one day.

After a lingering silence, Watanuki began to leave the actor to the peace. He twisted around before completely leaving, though. "There will come a day where someone you think you love can return your feelings but then you realize that's not what you want. What everyone wants is far away yet right there besides them. We can't run from it. It's… hitsuzen, as Yuko says."

-O-

Production finished. It was all over, finally. Yuko had complimented everyone on a great performance and hard work. Since that day, Kurogane had only seen Fai during the shoot. He felt – in the least bit, mind you – guilty. It was his entire fault, after all. He should not have dropped Fai in such a way even through the given circumstances.

However the ninja took no time in changing into his regular ninja attire. It was while he was changing he felt the mage's presence. Turning around to catch the snake before it bit, the ninja realized he had jumped the gun. Fai wasn't even there.

He was angry – and his senses were off. It was time to straighten things out.

-O-

Fai was there in the hallway, Yuko's house back to its deranged and bizarre front. Yuko laughed with him in the distance. When she saw Kurogane passing, she stopped him in his tracks.

"Kurogane! Come here and talk with us!" Yuko ordered, her raven hair flapping around in the wind. It was rather chilly.

The ninja stopped his strode and glanced at the mage. He was in white, of course, and smiling from ear to ear as always. Fai clapped his hands; his right wrist had a white armband with light blue stripes. The real clothing in this world was modern and sleek. Fai wore a simple sweat suit with a matching jacket with single blue-stripes on the garments.

He scratched his head, wondering what crazy nonsense that witch was going to spout next. "What do you want?"

"Well, I'm going to send you flying to another world again," Yuko laughed. Running for the exit, the girl shoved a foot in the ground, causing the ninja to trip. "Of my! I thought ninja's were graceful! Such a lousy ninja you are, Kurogane! No wonder Tomoyo wanted to send you away!"

"How would you know about that?" Kurogane looked up at the older woman in dismay.

"I know everything!" Yuko boasted. The ninja seemed sketchy, not liking where the conversation was leading.

"One moment, Fai?" Yuko inquired with a sadistic grin on her face.

Fai smiled idiotically as always, "Of course, Yuko-Chan."

"Oh no! Nothing like, 'that,'" She insisted. Yuko motioned Kurogane closer so she could whisper some dirt into his ear. "So, I was thinking, didn't Fai just look phenomenal during production?"

Kurogane blushed a tad. "What does this have to do with anything you bitch?"

"He replied with a, 'YES!' Fai!" Yuko shouted. Kurogane flustered up beyond belief, somehow managing to keep the deathly look of murder in his eyes. Yuko turned around to Kurogane quickly before handing him a small package. "SO-!"

Kurogane stared at it – small, sterile white with blue angel wings on it… In other words, a condom. Kurogane twitched.

"I pressure you should take care of our favorite magician, ney? Oh, but I don't know if Kurogane even knows how to use it! Well, toodles," the witch cheered. She ran out of the hallway like the yaoi-crazed fan-girl she was.

"So, Kuro-Chan…" Fai sighed, grinning lazily. "This was fun, wasn't it?"

"…If you think so," the ninja grunted, shoving the condom to the back of his pants with a slight blush.

"If I think so? So what if I think it was all stupid and act like I have a stick up my ass like Kuro-Min for once?" Fai inquired with an eyebrow raised. Kurogane stared at him with small crimson dots for eyes. Fai exhaled shortly. "I'm kidding, of course. I'm not the short-tempered, in-denial fool here. I had fun."

"Are you making fun of me?" Kurogane sneered. A demonic aura seeped from his glare.

"You don't need any help from me," Fai giggled. Twirling around to the ninja he maliciously smiled. "AN-Y-HOW! Kuro-Gan?"

"…What?" Kurogane was at a loss, not that he could ever understand Fai – only on weekends and holidays.

"I learned something out of this play," Fai started, looking over his shoulder with a somber smile.

Kurogane poked an eyebrow up, his voice trailing behind in caution, "And that would be…?"

"That if I don't make the first move, Kuro-Chin is never going to get over his denial," Fai giggled as he kissed the big puppy on the lips with a peck. He broke off quickly, skipping out swiftly.

An enlarged blush covered Kurogane's face as a cold sweat trickled down his neck. His limbs shook a moment or two before he grabbed Fai and crashed his tongue into the other's mouth. Kurogane pulled off, keeping the tension between the two high. His fingers were running through Fai's hair, scrunching them up in tangles.

Fai pulled off with another giggle. "My, Kuro-Sama, you better watch out or all that man-pride you've been trying to upkeep is going to go down the drain all for naught."

Kurogane stared at the mage, his face still a little red from the sudden outburst. Fai twirled around, flipping his head over his shoulder suggestively. Fai exhaled, letting his eyes drift to his bedroom door and then winked.

"Yuko-Chan's going to, 'send us flying to another world,' in five hours and thirty-seven minutes," Fai laughed before running in the room with a slammed door.

Kurogane sighed. All this faking was becoming too real. He growled an obscenity under his breath. It's not like he was, 'in love,' with Fai or anything… As he massaged his forehead he bit his tongue. That was exactly the case. His crimson eyes wandered about the door.

Curiosity always killed the cat. Kurogane knew that. Kurogane also knew that if he didn't get in that room, he'd never know what it was like to see Fai strip-tease especially for him. Yes, Kurogane knew it all. That wasn't the point right now. He just wanted to know everything he didn't…

Like what kind of underwear Fai wore. He always imagined it to be boxers because that was the most sensible assumption. Fai, though, was a very insensible person. Thinking about things rationally, he made his way over to secretive room. If he didn't check, he wouldn't ever know. Besides, five hours and thirty-seven minutes was just barely enough time to figure out this sort of thing.

Afterthoughts: I don't want any flames on the ending… I know, okay? Oho… I really can't say much… Hu-Zah! I love Beauty and the Beast, by the way. 'Tis my favoritest movie on the flippin' planet! (smiles) I'm having difficulties saying whether I like it more than I like KuroFai. Leaving a review might help me make my decision. (winks)