Title: Drowning
Author/Artist: Allen Haverstock
Pairing: Kurogane/Fai D. Flourite
Fandom: Tsubasa RESERvoir CHRONiCLES
Theme: Kisses #6 – the space between dream and reality, Hugs #6– oxygen
Disclaimer: If I owned them they wouldn't be nearly as hot and smexy and mysterious because I suck like that. Fai and Kuro-tan are owned by the lovely clump of potatoes called CLAMP.
Chapter Dedicated to Nestle for making the Kit-Kat bar that I am currently eating. Take that Chocolate craving! -evil laughter-
He was drowning.
The water was smothering him in its icy grasp; numbing his limbs until he could no longer move and caressing his skin like some sort of twisted lover. He gasped and the cold seeped down his throat and into his lungs and he felt as though his insides were turning into ice.
Cold and useless.
That's what he was. He had never been anything but a hindrance to his companions, and it was because of him that they were in danger.
He felt his eyes drifting shut, only to snap back open as a finely manicured hand cupped his cheek. He looked into the eyes of its owner and tried to scream; but the water was cold, and heavy, and smothering.
Long, black hair flowed from the man's head, spiraling and dancing its way around them. The man smiled at him; a smile far colder than the water he was in could ever be.
He tried to close his eyes – to fade away into the darkness, but the man wouldn't let him. The hand curled and dug its nails into his flesh. The man laughed his cruel laugh.
Images flashed before his eyes; Syaoran and Sakura blushing as they held hands, Mokona prancing about and singing his songs, and finally he saw Kurogane.
Kurogane grinning. Kurogane ruffling Syaoran's hair. Kurogane chasing Mokona. Kurogane blushing. Kurogane growling.
Kurogane.
The man's eyes narrowed.
"Your…friends?"
He shook his head vehemently. The man let out a mirthless laugh.
"Not for long…"
The images stopped.
Kurogane, he thought. Kurogane, Kurogane, Kurogane.
The man moved his slender hands to wrap around his neck. Too weak to protest, he just watched the man slowly squeeze out what little life he had left in him. His eyes began drifting shut and he smiled.
If he were dead…his friends would be safe.
Syaoran, Sakura, Mokona…Kurogane. They would all be safe.
Kurogane would be safe…
"Oi!"
Kurogane…
"Oi! Wake up!"
Kurogane…
"Dammit! You idiot! Wake up!"
A sharp sting radiated from his cheek and he opened his eyes wearily. Two large ruby eyes stared at him.
He blinked and moved to get up. His limbs felt monstrously heavy and his eyes felt as though they were made of lead. Strong arms pushed him back down.
"Kuro…tan?"
His voice sounded weak to his own ears, and his throat felt swollen.
"You're sick, you dumbass," Kurogane growled. "I told you not to go running around in this weather."
He watched the ninja through half-lidded eyes and shivered a bit. He wondered why he was so cold…
Kurogane pulled the blankets back up around him with a gentleness he rarely ever saw from the man.
"You stopped breathing, idiot ."
He blinked. 'What?' he wanted to ask, but his voice wouldn't let him. Kurogane continued as if he knew what he was going to say.
"You had a fever and were sleeping," explained the taller man, a glower on his face. "You screamed. And then you stopped breathing."
"Oh," he murmured softly. "Sorry."
Kurogane stared at him thoughtfully.
"You're not sorry. You said in your sleep that we would be safer if you were dead."
He blinked, confused, and responded with not a small bit a dread pooling in his stomach.
"No," he said thickly. "No, I'm not sorry. You would be better off."
Kurogane grabbed his shoulders and moved so their faces were barely an inch apart. Close enough to kiss. He could feel the ninja's breath against his lips and withheld a shudder.
"You idiot!" he all-but-shouted; drilling that ruby gaze into him. He looked away. Kurogane grabbed his chin and forced him back, but still he kept his eyes averted. "Look at me."
He slowly moved his azure gaze over to stare the man he cared about in the eye.
"That's better. You need to face your fears." said the ninja fiercely. "Stop running away, you coward."
He was uncomfortable. He was scared. He needed his mask back.
"You'd better not plan on doing that again, you damn mage. Dying won't help anyone."
Slowly, he plastered a weak grin onto his face.
"Whatever are you talking about, Kuro-pyon?"
Kurogane glared at him for a moment before he stepped away from him, sighing deeply.
"Just… Go back to sleep, Fay."
Watching him leave the room, Fay wondered how far away his dreams were from reality.