55. Monster
Tomoyo thought he was a monster.
Kurogane seldom cared about other people's thoughts, but this one rankled. When she'd sent him away, he'd felt only the familiar bite of rage. Now that it had had time to sink in, though, it bit deeper.
How could she send him away? He'd been loyal to her for years, protected her from assassins, slain demons for her. And she'd sent him away to stop him from killing?
Did she think he was that much of a monster? Did his hatred for things threatening Tomoyo drive him to become a monster?
He didn't know.
56. Happiness
It had always been an effort for Fai to act happy. He'd smiled because people preferred it that way, and he'd remained cheerful to maintain social conventions. He still acted like that, even after months of traveling with these people. But something had shifted, something that bubbled up when he talked to Sakura-chan, or teased Kuro-wan. It had taken him time to identify the strange fluttering. Fearing it, he'd reminded himself he had no room to worry about others when his king could wake up at any moment.
But sometimes, he slipped. And for a moment, his smiles were real.
57. Hatred
Father had taught the Other it was wrong to hate someone, but sometimes Syaoran couldn't help but hate the clone that had borrowed half his soul.
It wasn't because his clone had ripped out Fai's eye, or that he'd gone to another dimension to slaughter people. No, it was a much more personal hatred, one Syaoran couldn't justify or ignore.
He hated his clone because Sakura loved him.
It wasn't because of jealousy. It was because Sakura was suffering, hoarding her tears to herself while he remained ostracized. Syaoran hated his clone because he'd left Sakura's heart bleeding after him.