Greetings! I am baaaaaaaaaack! Sorry for the late update! I was so busy during the Chinese New Year! For a change and thanks for putting up with all the sadness and angst and boredom, here's a fluffy chapter for a change! Angst-free!
…
"Syaaaaaaaaaaaaoran-kuuuuuuuuuun! Saaaaaakuuuuuuraaaaaaaa-chaaaaaaaaaaaaaaan! Breakfast!" Fai hollered from below. Sakura bolted upright in surprise while Syaoran groaned. He hated the wake-up calls. It was like having someone playing an electric guitar in your ears. Opting for the wiser choice (in his opinion), the boy pressed pillows to his ears, successfully blocking out all noises. Ah, sweet, sweet, blissful silence.
…
"SYAAAAAAAAOOOOORAAAAAAAAAN_KUUUUUUUUUN!" The sound of a door crashing and the devil's shrilly voice bombarded his ears. "WAAAAAAAAAAAAKE UUUUUUUUUUP! DIDN'T YOU HEAR MY WAKE-UP CALL?!" Distinctively, he could hear a tiny and timid voice further away, but didn't bother to wonder who it was.
"Nngh! One more minute!" he groaned indignantly, trying to swap the annoying fly away. Of course, everyone knows that if he tried, Fai can be a pain in the ass, literally.
"Oho! Is that so?" Syaoran opened an eye and the blonde's mischievous face filled his vision. Fuck it. What now? "Then I guess I'll just call daddy to wake you up!" Fai took a deep breath, ready to issue another loud call at the other side of the house. Syaoran bolted upright in precisely 0.0001 milliseconds, sweat beading down his forehead. "No!" he yelled, seizing his 'mother's' hand, begging with his eyes. Both Sakura and he have been through Kurogane's wake up calls. It was like being in the military: having the sound of a voice amplified ten times its usual range at 5 o' clock in the morning. That's why Fai had banned him from issuing any wake up calls since then, but Syaoran was willing to bet he'd use that as a secret weapon any day.
Fai grinned at the extreme reaction of his adopted son. Poor Syaoran-kun, he must make sure to scold Kurogane later for mentally scarring both his children. "Since you're awake now, go join Sakura for breakfast and bathe. We're going out!"
"But where? It's only 7:30 in the morning!" he asked, rubbing his eyes.
"We're going for a picnic!" Fai exclaimed, gracefully twirling in the room.
"What?" Syaoran blinked. Now that surprised him. A picnic? He heard people in school discussing abou it often, but the boy himself had never been to one, though it sounded like a very pleasant experience.
"Yes, now hurry up! We don't have all day!" A gentle smile crept to his face. "I'm not very sure how picnics are supposed to be like, but Kuro-wan thought you two might like it." With that, the man skipped away from the room and down the stairs, humming quietly.
Syaoran stared after him. Even though it had been almost half a year, the boy still couldn't get used to seeing Fai the way he is now. Sure, he was kind and motherly, a wonderful guardian to have that cared and taught them so much, but this man was completely different from the Fai he had once known, even if it was only for a few weeks spent in a cell.
The man was dark, far darker than he was now. He was quiet, filled with the worst secrets anyone could ever have, though he didn't know what. He was obsessed; his goal of saving Ashura clouded everything else. He was pale, unreal, sad, furious, and at times where he thought nobody was looking at him, he looked on the verge of tears. And he definitely wasn't innocent.
He was dark. He was mysterious. He was a completely different person. He wasn't happy.
But this Fai was the polar opposite of the one he met months ago. Of course, he'd been told what had happened. He, too, mourned for the loss of a man he once worked together with whom he once shared unspoken conversations at night, pouring their secrets to the other through the silence at night. He missed the old Fai. The both of them shared secrets and pains that made them equals, despite of the age difference. For once, he wasn't the only one protecting. He'd found another protector who had suffered, and even though they rarely spoke to each other, he became a first and wonderful companion for him. Syaoran knew he was being selfish, and that he should be happy for that the man had finally found peace and happiness in his life, but he wished he could turn back time to get to know more about the man himself. It was like dying and being born a second time.
Sighing, Syaoran ran a hand along his hair and strode down the stairs, a kind of longing building up deep inside his chest. A longing to see Sakura – beautiful, sweet Sakura-, the one whom he'll put his life on line for, his most precious person, the one whom he met in the streets from the day he remembered being alive.
xXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXx
"I told you, I am not eating this sugary crap!" Kurogane pouted, crossing his arms like a spoiled child. He was offered the most disgusting breakfast he ever had in his life.
Peanut-butter and jelly sandwich.
It was the utmost insult to his pride he had come across throughout his entire life. His mother had never even gone so low even when he was a kid.
"Awwwwww! But Kuro-chi! I made this meal specifically for you!" whined the blonde, grabbing his arm and pouting. "Pwwweeeeeeease! At least take a bite! I want my Kuro-pon to taste the sweetness of children's breakfast!"
"I told you, I am not eating this stupid meal!" he yelled, the finality in his voice firm and unwavering. This only caused Fai to pout in a cuter way. "And none of your puppy faces are going to change my mind," he added hastily.
"Oh, really?" The blonde man asked slyly as an evil idea popped into his head. Oh, Kurogane was going to have his head for this. Gently and swiftly, he slipped his hand into the larger man's pants, smirking. "No sex for you for a whole month if you don't eat this thing," he whispered into his lover's ear. Kurogane's face turned red in a millisecond.
"Wh-what?!" he spluttered, his blush deepening. "What do you think you're talking a-" His roar was interrupted by something being shoved into his mouth. He choked and gagged on the food, but with much 'help' from Fai, managed to swallow it whole. The gruff man gasped, precious air filling his lungs. That, was the most disgusting food he had ever tasted.
'WHAT DID YOU JUST DO?!" he yelled, face growing red again. Fai giggled. His lover always looked cute when he was embarrassed or angry, a perfect reason to annoy the heck out of him.
"Why, I just saved you from the condemnation of not being in the position to fuck me!" he said dramatically like he had saved a man from eternal doom as he leered inches away from Kurogane's face. "Why, I'm sure you won't be able to last a day, and I don't think you would like to be interrupted during masturbation, do you?" Thank God the kids are in their showers.
"WHAAAAAT?!" Alright, that's it. Sexy and hot and adorable as he was, Kurogane would kill the stupid idiot and cook him alive (depending on which one suited his mood). He reached for his sword with an evil gleam in his eyes.
"I saved you from eternal condemnation and this is the thanks I get?" Fai screeched unsuccessful as he was overcome by giggles. Kurogane just glared at him.
"I am going to chop you into pieces you bastard!" he yelled at the top of his lungs before surging towards the blonde.
"Aaaaaah! Help! Help! Domestic abuse!" Fai laughed airily as he ran, his bad-tempered lover only a distance away.
"I'll teach you domestic abuse!"
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After much chasing and yells and awkward moments, the little family finally departed. They were heading for a valley, and then they had to trek across the green fields towards the top and spend the whole day there. Syaoran thought it would be nice. Sakura was overjoyed at the decision. Fai planned to do something dirty there. Kurogane was sure he would bore to death.
The time they drove to the valley was the worst hour of Kurogane's life. Fai was singing at the top of his lungs, Sakura kept asking when they would arrive and Syaoran… well, was having car-sick. The man had to suppress countless urges to jump off the car and run home. When they finally arrived, he was finally released into the blissful morning air and the scent of Sakuras. Spring was the best time of the year in Japan, no matter what.
The soft breeze calmed him immediately. Breathing in the scent of peace relaxed him and saved him from the torture he was forced to face the past hour. The air was cool and the scenery was very calming. Unlike in the city, the countryside of Japan was beautiful. He could see the green grass from here, stretching endlessly from view. The sky was so blue, but it couldn't compare with Fai's eyes, so bright and radiant and happy all the time. Heck, those eyes were able to make him content during his worst days in Horitsuba.
They trekked far up the mountain, the red-eyed man yet treated like a slave by carrying the picnic bag all the way up. Not that he couldn't carry it of course; he just didn't like to be treated like a slave. Five minutes passed silently until the blonde man crashed faced down to the ground.
"I'm tiiiiiired…" he whined. Kurogane rolled his eyes. "Quit being a pansy. We've been walking for only five minutes," he said exasperatedly.
"Five minutes work, five minutes rest. Life's all about balance, right?" Fai countered, turning over so that he was lying on the ground facing his lover. "C'mon kids! Let's rest. I'm sure Sakura-chan must be tired, huh?"
"Tch," Kurogane scoffed. "I bet she has more stamina than you have!" The statement caused Sakura to blush with pride. After being with them for so long, the girl knew when and how Kurogane expressed his feelings about them. The ways he expressed them was awkward, but both Sakura and Syaoran knew that the words came deep from his heart.
"Waaaaaaaah!" Fake tears streamed down Fai's cheeks as he hugged Sakura, sobbing loudly. Without looking at the other man, he pointed a finger accusingly at him. "Daddy's being a big old meanie! He's such a bully!" he howled, sobbing into his 'daughter's' shoulder. Poor Sakura looked as if she would like to disappear from this world and Syaoran glared at him with a 'how-dare-you-touch-my-Sakura' look. Kurogane looked at the mess and thought of suicide.
With a loud growl, he turned and continued trekking upwards. Staying with a demented idiot with a possessive kid and a constantly blushing girl was not good for his overall mental health.
xXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXx
"Neh, Kuro-chan… Are you still angry at me?" A perky but worried voice invaded his ears. Well, he wasn't surprised. They've been trekking for an hour now, resting a few times along the way and yet the red-eyed man had not uttered a single word, despite the efforts of the blonde and children.
"Hmph," he grunted, his eyes closed. He wasn't really angry anymore, but he didn't want to give his lover the satisfaction of getting away with everything all the time. Suddenly, he felt a pair of arms wrapping around his waist as something warm and soft rested itself on his chest.
"I'm sorry…" a soft voice whispered, and to Kurogane's horror, it sounded like Fai was about to cry. Gently, he wrapped his arms around the man and cradled him, opening his eyes in time to see Fai shifting to lift his face. Worried blue orbs with glassy lining shone the blonde's sincerity. That was all Fai had been after the incident more than half a year ago. Unlike his older self, he never lied or was ever dishonest with others or himself. Everything about him became human and real. "Please don't be mad…"
No matter how much he tried to cover his own feelings, as the old Fai had done (guess some habits just can't be changed), he knew the blonde always cared. Even though he acted oblivious to his emotions and seemed to try to annoy the hell out of him, Fai had always cared about his feelings and well-being, just as he did with the kids.
"Idiot," he muttered, stroking Fai's hair affectionately. "Don't annoy me in the first place if you don't want me mad. Just promise me you won't do it again." Fai nodded weakly, clinging onto Kurogane with a weak smile on his face. Shyly, he lifted his head and kissed the other man's lips. It wasn't passionate or desperate like the ones they have during sex; it was gentle and loving, filled with unspoken emotions.
… Which reminded him.
"Oi," he said, looking around. "Where are the kids?"
"They wanted to take a look at the view at the top of the hill. We estimated it to be a 10 minute walk from here, so it's not too far ahead," he said, snuggling into Kurogane's embrace. "Don't worry Kuro-pon. They'll be back!" he said teasingly, kissing the other man again, resting warmly against his chest. His lover was so warm and comfy…
"Tch, like I care about them," he growled, eyes darting away from the smaller man in his arms, knowing his eyes would hold that teasing glint of 'denial-freak'. They remained like this, in each other's arms as a soft breeze whispered by. Fai was almost asleep when he heard a voice.
"Would you… like to see the view? At sunset?" The blonde shot his head up in surprise. Kurogane was staring at him seriously (which was very rare) and was it the light or was his face turning redder and redder every second?
One second…
A minute…
"W-well, aren't you suppose to be answering?!" spluttered Kurogane, his face now redder than a tomato. Instead of teasing, Fai gave him a dazzling, genuine smile from deep inside his heart. It was unlike those smirks he gave when teasing his lover; this smile came from the warmth radiating from the very core of his living being.
"Yes," he whispered, tightening his hold on the other man. "Yes."
xXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXx
Hours passed as they ate and played on the field, the vastness littered with teasing, laughter, half-hearted yells and chases, intertwined hands, kisses, games and the smell of sugar.
"Kuro-rin." Said man turned around to see Fai tugging on his shirt incessantly. "It's time." He pointed to the sky and Kurogane could see between the clouds were a touch of pink. Sunset was arriving.
"C'mon," he signaled the kids to follow as he began trekking upwards. "You lead the way."
As they walked further upwards, the pink began spreading into the darker corners of the sky and through the clouds. By the time the small family reached the top, the sky was already separated into two: one filled with beautiful, velvet golden rays and the other a mix of blue, pink and purple as it stretch across the end of the world.
But the view was amazing.
Stretching shamelessly a distance away were other beautiful mountains, all of them taller than the one they are on now. Many had trees and fields on them, and Fai could still see the Sakura trees on some of them, while a few others remained bare and covered with snow on the top. Hell, they can't even see the top of a few taller ones. Below them was a long, almost thin river, the pureness of it given away by the way it reflected the sky perfectly. Surrounding the river were grass greener than the ones on the hill. Countless Sakura Trees stood proudly below them, making the ground a blur of pink and green and transparency and all the colors in the sky. Fai felt his breath caught in his throat as he leaned closer to Kurogane.
"It's so beautiful…" he whispered, hardly daring to break the peace between them. Kurogane didn't respond. Instead, he tugged the blonde beside him as he sat down and held him gently but closely. The children followed suit, eyes glued to the heavenly scenery around them, Syaoran holding Sakura close protectively. Fai sighed contently and snuggled into the other man's chest.
A thought struck him. "Kuro-chi?" he whispered. Kurogane looked down at him softly. "What?" he asked while the blonde stared at him adoringly with those cute, sapphire jewels.
"I love you," he whispered. Fai giggled as the larger man messed his hair up vigorously. "Bastard, rattling nonsense," he grumbled. The blonde sighed again and breathed in his lover's scent while the other buried his face in his blonde locks, settled and content by staring ahead at the scenery.
The sky was slowly enveloped by pink, then slowly, very slowly by purple, while the golden rays started to have a tinge of orange in it. As minutes ticked by, as the sun sets, the very edge of the sky was a purple-blue color, pink-sky blue in the middle and orange on the other side. Oh so slowly, purple dominated the sky, followed by a darker shade of blue, as the golden rays disappeared into orange. As night dawned, the larger man tore his gaze away from the first time he'd properly seen the sunset to the angel in his arms, surprised to find him fast asleep. His chest rose and fell softly, and that content smile he still wore on his face. Red eyes soften at the sight of him, and as he allowed himself a small smile, he lifted the blonde and kissed him on the forehead.
"I love you too."
Totally pointless, but fluffy none-the-less! (Or maybe it's just my definition of fluffy, I don't know). Rants: I can't believe this story's coming to an end. As I reread this whole thing, I really, really want to rewrite this whole thing as there are SO MANY THINGS I can correct or make better of it! (Frustrated) Epilogue's coming at the 8th of February, so don't miss it! =D