Next chapter is on the 17th of March.
Fai grits his teeth. He doesn't even believe in himself. How could he believe in anyone else?
The rain burns as it begins to fall, torrents from nowhere tracing lines down his face and across his scalp. It hurts just enough for him to settle just a little bit.
Mokona screams.
"It's the rain! Fai! The rain really hurts! Come back Sakura!" Fai doesn't turn back even though it hurts him to do this to Mokona too. They are all safer without him anyway.
Maybe if he gets lost looking for Sakura it would be good- they wouldn't have to deal with him.
He could just-
"Wait." That voice cuts in again.
He still doesn't turn back.
"If you want to stop me it will turn into a fight." Fai says. He feels colder than the month long blizzards of Celes.
"What if." This voice is gentle and Fai is pulled short by it.
He can't help but turn and look at the boy holding Mokona to his chest to comfort the small creature as he himself huddles against the wall, gaze determined as his clone's was.
"What if you went to save her and ended up getting hurt?" Syaoran says softly, "Then Sakura-" Fai hears the small inhale, the too fast thrum of the boy's heart before he continues, "I mean, the princess, would hurt even more."
Fai closes his eyes, feeling the ache of the rain as it drips down his neck, doesn't say anything.
He can feel the boy's eyes on him and it itches, this much observation.
"She'd be more hurt by the pain you're feeling. Just like you are hurting right now." The words are certain and Fai can taste the steel edge to them, that guilt which coats his tongue as he manages to raise his head though his heart hurts far too much and give the barest hint of a pained smile.
"You really are alike. The two of you." He whispers, meeting Syaoran's gaze. The boy smiles just a little, guilt dancing in his eyes too.
Then Mokona cries out again and Fai's gaze snaps around before he can even think about it, adrenaline spiking through him, making him sharper.
"It's Sakura!" The small creature shouts but Fai is already running forwards with his new strength and watching her small form fall again and again and she's just a girl- she's just a child! How could anyone do this to her?
And then he's holding her in his arms, pulling her close despite the nausea at the smell of blood and burned skin and his discomfort at the physical contact as he pulls her tight into his chest.
He curves his neck against her head, pulling his cloak around her as he cries, eyes squeezed shut and teeth clenched.
She's warmer than she should be.
"I'm so sorry." Her voice chokes on the words, rasping and pained as she weakly raises a hand to his arm.
"You were hurting so much and I couldn't help you." She gets out, sounding like she's strangling herself with the effort of speaking.
"Shh. Shhh. It's okay!" He murmurs, trying to soothe though he's trembling too and everything is too much but it's okay- it doesn't matter- she's back now and he has to keep her safe.
"I'm sorry. Even now I'm sure you're hurting far worse than I am-" Sakura breaks off into coughing and Fai's grip tightens, knuckles white as he clutches at her.
"Sakura-chan!" Fai breaks, shoulders hunched as if he could shield her from the world with his own body.
"Even if that's true." She says, words sounding dry as she takes a wheezing breath.
"I'm just so glad that you're alive." The princess pushes through, voice barely above a whisper now.
Somehow their eyes meet and Fai feels sicker than he ever has before.
"Please. Forgive me?" She asks.
"There's nothing to forgive!" Fai chokes on the words but she doesn't hear them, already limp in his arms.