Disclaimer; Nope. I still don't own Tsubasa.

Ice Cream And Evron

Fai sighed. He'd been stuck in his room for what felt like years now, ever since they met Fye. He wanted to get out and run around, to scream to the heavens, to play with Seth again. But Kurogane had firmly decided that he wasn't allowed o leave his room for any reason until he was discharged which, thanks to the ice cream incident, wouldn't be for another week at least.

He smiled at Makayla as she entered the room, carrying a sleeping Seth and a small folder.

"Kaaaaaaaayyyyyyyyyllllllaaaaaaaaaa," he whined. "I'm boooooooooooooooooooooorrrrrrrrrrrrrred! I've been in here forever!"

She laughed.

"Why don't you sneak out again?" she suggested. "It worked well enough last time."

The mage pouted.

"Kuro-puppy won't let me," he lied, settling back on his pillows. "And anyway, it's no fun running away alone."

The writer's eye's narrowed a fraction, but she smiled at him and sat on the edge of his bed.

"Kurogane-sama says you haven't been talking to him since you met my dad," she revealed, leaning back on her hands. "Why not?"

The magician looked away. What was he supposed to say? Oh, your dad pretty much told me off and he expects me to be honest with myself, oh, and I think I'm in love with someone I'm going to end up killing one day because whether I like it or not eventually he'll learn about Fai, the real Fai, and he'll hate me for it? Yeah, that would be smart.

"Anyway," Makayla said suddenly, interrupting his thoughts. "I knew you'd be bored, so I was wondering if you'd watch Seth for a few hours. That okay with you?"

The magician smiled.

"Of course!" he accepted. "I just hope the puppy doesn't bite him."

A low growl issued from outside. Fai ignored it.

"Good," Makayla said cheerfully. "Then I'll pick him up around three. Take care of him!"

The magician waved cheerfully as she left. At least he had something to do.

--

Kurogane groaned. He'd been sitting there for three days, and dammit all if he wasn't bored. He wanted to go for a walk, eat something other than the crappy hospital food Makayla'd ordered he received when Fai was fed. He wanted to train with Syaoran. Anything to get out of this damn hospital.

But he couldn't leave. Evron had mysteriously vanished the day Fye had shown up, and while the others seemed completely unconcerned over this, he wasn't taking any chances. Last time that bastard had gotten near Fai he'd hurt him, and there had been something different in the way he spoke to the ninja since. He still used those same annoying nicknames, and wore those same fake smiles, but there was something different about him. Something… false. Besides his smiles and lies. There was a strange sense of not quite being that had surrounded the mage. It worried him.

The swordsman shook his head. He was thinking too much. Perhaps he should leave just for a few minutes, maybe get a nurse to take over for him…

No. If you leave that bastard'll come back. Move one fucking inch and you're dead.

Great. He was threatening himself.

Sighing, the ninja stood and pulled the door open, scowling at Fai and Seth, who were busy cutting unidentifiable shapes out of construction paper.

"You," he barked at the mage, reaching over and picking Seth up. "We're going out."

Surprise registered on the magician's face before he grinned.

"I don't have any clothes, Kuro-woof," he pointed out. The swordsman rolled his eyes and ducked under the bed and pulled out the clothes Seth had brought him earlier that week and tossed them at him.

"Get dressed, moron," he snapped. The magician smiled and began to change.

"Hey!" the swordsman shouted, turning bright red. "What the hell are you doing-"

"Aw, Kuro-tan's so cute!" Fai cut him off. "He's so embarrassed!"

Cursing under his breath, the ninja stalked out of the room, Seth in tow, and slammed the door behind him. Seth climbed onto his back.

--

How the hell did I end up here again?

Kurogane growled at the server at the ice cream stand he'd taken Seth to after Fai's coughing fit. He was really sick of ice cream.

"Kurogane, can I have four scoops?" Seth asked hopefully. The ninja sighed.

"Fine, but I'm not carrying you back to the hospital if you don't finish it," he warned, scowling. "Now hurry up, dammit, I need to train."

"Aw, Kuro-cranky's being a party pooper!" the mage whined, taking his ice cream from the server and sitting down across from him. Something that had changed, the ninja noted, since Evron showed up. The mage used to plop down beside him regardless of where they were.

"Whatever," he muttered angrily, glancing over at where Seth was trying his best to reach his ice cream. Sighing, Kurogane walked over and grabbed it, handing it to him.

"Can I get you anything, sir?" the server asked. The swordsman glared at him for a moment before stalking away.

"You, kid," he snapped at Seth, drawing Sohi. "Watch the idiot mage. Don't let him out of your sight for a minute, and if your uncle shows up call, got it?"

The four year old nodded energetically and plopped down beside the mage as the ninja left, searching for somewhere to train in peace that still permitted him view of the mage and his bodyguard.

--

Evron yawned. After being inactive for a couple days, he needed someone amusing to torture. Someone who would believe everything and wouldn't have anyone there to protect them…

There.

It was Fai, sitting alone, except for Seth. An evil smile forming on his lips, he approached the ice cream bar they were at and smiled at the server.

"Mint," he ordered, keeping one eye on his target. The server handed it to him and smiled pleasantly.

"That'll be two-fifty, sir," he said. Evron glared at him before dropping the money on the counter. No, this weak man wouldn't provide any amusement. He moved on to bigger prey.

"Hello, Fai, Seth," he said coldly, sitting across from him. "It's been a while, hasn't it?"

The mage went pale. Seth growled defensively in perfect imitation of the ass and climbed on the table in front of him.

"G-go away," he ordered, voice shaking with fear. Evron smiled at his nephew.

"Hello, Seth. How are you today?" he asked conversationally. "Did your mommy ditch you again?"

"No," the child barked, shaking. "She'd letting me spend some time with Fai."

"Of course," the teen replied off handedly. "Just like she let you spend some time with those mean people."

The boy shook visibly, but he didn't move.

"Go away," he whimpered. "We didn't do nothing to you."

Evron smiled coldly at him. He had grown, he noted, since they had last met.

"Why are you here, Seth?" he asked, reaching over and ruffling the four year old's hair. He flinched back noticeably.

"K-Kurogane said to w-watch him," the boy stuttered. "S-so g-go away."

The blonde's eyes narrowed dangerously.

"Ah. Trying to be tough, are we?" he hissed. "Because you know that eventually your mommy will leave you and never come back."

Tears rolled down his cheeks.

"P-please go away, Uncle Evron," he whimpered again. "W-we d-didn't do anything to you."

The teenager laughed as he reached out to ruffle his hair again.

"Don't touch him."

Seth was pulled from the table by a shaking magician, who pulled him close. Evron smiled.

"Ah, Fai! I almost forgot you were here," he said easily, taking a bite of ice cream. "I was having such fun with little Seth. He's so much stronger than he used to be."

The mage was terrified. And angry. The teen smiled. His anguish was delicious.

"Go away," the magician hissed, standing up and stepping away from the table. Evron followed.

"Why would you want me to do that?" he questioned, raising an eyebrow. "After all, I'm the only one who finds you useful."

He laughed at the shock that crossed the wizard's face.

"Yes, you're my favorite toy."

He kicked out, hitting the mage's knee. He fell, releasing his hold on Seth, who took one look at his uncle and tried to pull the magician up. Grinning, Evron picked him up. He let out a strangled sob.

"Let me go!" he screamed, trying to squirm out of his gasp. "Let me go!"

The teen was forced back by a fist connecting with his fist. Startled, he let go of the sobbing four year old and looked toward his attacker.

"Now Fai, what brings about this change in faith?" he asked, grinning evilly as the wizard bent down and hugged Seth. "I would have thought you'd be a little kinder."

"Fuck off," the magician snapped. Evron smiled.

"You sound like Kuro-bozu," he hissed. "All talk, though. I know you can't attack again. Your lung must be screaming, isn't it?"

"I said fuck off!" the wizard repeated, backing away again. The blonde's eyes flashed for a moment.

"It's a shame," he muttered. "I was having fun, too."

The magician didn't say anything. Grinning, Evron darted forward and elbowed his lung, causing his grip on Seth to fail and the four year old to drop to the floor as he coughed violently. Seth cast one glance at his baby sitter and charged him. The teen easily side stepped him and gave him a sharp kick to the back and returning his attention to Fai, who was still coughing, blood beginning to pool on the ground in front of him.

It's a good thing the bar is so isolated, he reflected. Otherwise I'd be surrounded by now.

His thoughts were interrupted as he narrowly avoided being cloven in two. Turning, the teen grinned at Kurogane, who's features were lit with anger and hatred, Seth running from behind him toward the fallen mage.

A police alarm split the air.

"Well, Kuro-bozu," he grinned, "looks like we'll have to play later."

He ducked under the ninja's arm and darted into the crowd.

--

Fuck. I'm such a goddamn dumbass.

The swordsman wanted to scream as he scooped the unconscious mage up and cradled him to his chest. Seth stared at the ground a little ways away, tears spilling unchecked down his cheeks.

"Seth," the ninja called to him. The child walked over slowly, still staring at the ground. Numbly, Kurogane picked him up as well and waited while he climbed onto his shoulders. A squad car appeared , and the crowd scattered from it as the swordsman walked toward it and growled at the officer inside.

"Hospital," he snapped, climbing in. Without a word, the officer turned around and drove toward it, apparently sensing that this was not the time to argue with him. Seth sobbed and clung to the ninja, but he was numb to it and everything else, head full of only one thought.

I let this happen.

A/N; No comments. I'm gonna go work on the next chapter.

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