Chapter 6: Eye of the Storm

The next morning, the warm rays of sun coming in through the large window woke him. As he sat up, slowly, blinking a few times, the memories of last night melded together in a hazy confusion. When his vision settled and he realized he wasn't where he should have been, the first thing his mind told him to do was panic. His hands flew down to his sides as he moved to look around the room, but his left hand didn't meet the soft bed … it met something else.

Looking down quickly, he saw what he had collided with and suddenly everything came back in a rush.

"Kuro-pon … I love you …"

Those words … A smile curved his lips as he remembered what had happened after that. His fingertips lightly traced patterns over his new lover's arm as he slept, and he lowered himself down, propping his small frame up on one elbow.

Something about Kurogane was so peaceful while he slept … His face was free of the tension that it carried through the day, and he was … relaxed. This caused Fai to smile more. He couldn't help it. It was so rare to see his precious puppy this way, in a way he wanted it to last forever.

A small grunt came from Kurogane, and Fai sighed softly. It wouldn't be long now.

The ninja's eyes opened slowly, still dazed with sleep and somewhat confused. He blinked. Once, twice, and then his gaze flitted upwards, towards the face of the vampire. "Hnn…"

Fai couldn't resist letting his smile take over his face. It felt good to smile. It had been to long … too long since he had let a genuine smile come over his face like this. And even though Kurogane was still groggy, he noticed.

"Morning, Kuro-wan wan."

The names were back. They were back, and for some reason Kurogane didn't mind. In fact, he couldn't have been happier if he tried. "Shut up," he responded, but Fai could see the hint of a smile glowing in those eyes.

"Nee, Kuro-tan's grumpy this morning," he said with a sigh, stretching his arms above his head and letting it out. "Oi, careful," the ninja said firmly. "Your stomach."

"Hmm? Oh … it's fine," the vampire responded, nodding slightly in agreement with himself. "See? Nothing."

He removed the bandages quickly, yet carefully, and exposed his flesh for the other to see.

It was completely healed. The wound was gone, and in its place was nothing but smooth and flawless skin. Kurogane couldn't help but notice how obvious the former mage's rubs were. They were so obvious that it was somewhat unnerving.

"You need to eat more," he grunted, but then his arm found it's way around the thin man's waist and he was pulling him closer.

"If I eat more, Kuro-chi might get hurt," Fai responded simply. "I'm fine, don't worry."

"I won't," the ninja said. "This … isn't natural." He sweeped one hand gently over the vampire's ribs, a bit more shocked at how clearly he could feel every crevice through the skin. This wasn't right.

However, he pulled his hand back at the way that Fai shivered under his touch, and a very slight blush tinged his cheeks as he turned away, throwing the covers off of himself and sitting up.

"Nee? Kuro-tai is leaving so soon?" Fai asked, looking up at the ninja questioningly. "The kid and the princess will be awake soon," was Kurogane's simple response. "I'm going to the springs… I'll be back." With that, the larger man left the room.

Once in the spring, Kurogane was alone with his thoughts.

Fai. Love. Fai. Ashura. Crying. Pain. Kiss. Love. Fai. Sick. Fai. Dying.

They all came back to one thing …

Fai.

He just couldn't get the vampire out of his mind. Everything about him. His looks, his smile, his voice…. Those stupid names. God, how he had missed those names.

And he was going to talk … Fai was going to talk to him. Kurogane wasn't one to get excited over things, but maybe, just maybe, this was something worth being excited over.

Kurogane loved Fai. Fai loved Kurogane.

He was finally going to share his past, he was going to reveal what Kurogane had been so desperate to uncover.

His relationship with Ashura. The reason why he wanted to die so badly.

There were only two things that Kurogane knew at that moment.

He loved Fai more than anything in this world, and there was no way in hell he was going to let him die now. Or ever. No way.

And this is the last chapter for this update. Please, tell me what you think! -