4. Chopsticks
"How can you use these things?" Fai demanded, trying to balance the chopsticks between his fingers.
Kurogane gave him a withering look. Syaoran tilted his head to the side.
"They don't have chopsticks in your world?" the boy asked.
"No. We have forks and spoons. And we don't eat raw fish."
"It's called sushi. And you don't really need chopsticks."
Fai frowned, feeling abnormally silly. "Oh."
"Idiot," Kurogane muttered.
"I'd like to see you use a fork."
The ninja turned. "Careful what you wish for, mage. I might shove it down your throat to shut you up."
Fai shut up.
5. Watching
Syaoran almost didn't realize his clone was falling in love with the princess.
His hands tightened into fists, the only real expression of anger he could show while sealed in this tube. The magic bound his joints so he couldn't free himself, and his blind eye throbbed with the perpetual absence left behind by the missing half of his heart.
The half that was slowly falling in love with her, the perfect replica of the real Sakura. The heart that still yearned for the original, but now ached after her copy. His heart.
No. Not my heart, Syaoran thought. Hers.
6. Thorn
Syaoran hadn't known anything could hurt like this.
He clutched his hand, tears rising to his eyes for the first time since he'd woken up in the rain three weeks ago. His pulse pounded in his fingertips, every beat accentuating the pain.
"Hold still, Syaoran," Fujitaka-san said, examining the wound with intensity.
"It hurts," he whimpered, closing his eyes to shut out the agony.
He heard the distinct click of the metal instrument, felt the sickening tug of flesh as the debris was pulled free of his thumb.
"There," his father said, holding up the thorn. "No big deal, right?"