Black Steel and Worldly Wisdom

Always

By Mystic Dawn

Summary: (Set one year after Kurogane first met Tomoyo) Kurogane is not someone who would be termed as 'sociable'... rather being the opposite. Just when Tomoyo has had about enough, she comes to understand a little more about his personality... and about Kurogane himself.

Warning: Do not read unless you have read Volume 13 of the manga (or seen Episode 40 of the anime), or unless you have an idea of what really happened in Kurogane's past. Otherwise, you'll feel very confused.

Tomoyo was usually a very well-mannered young lady. She was polite, always listened to others, and never lost her temper. If something was not to her liking, she would always accept it, and do so with grace and dignity, as was befitting of a royal princess.

But now was not one of these times.

Tomoyo strode down the long corridors rapidly, hitching up her skirts to move faster, a frown marring her otherwise calm features. She swept past a group of startled-looking ladies-in-waiting without so much as shooting them a second glance, her waist-length black hair flying behind her.

The group of girls exchanging knowing, exasperated looks. The eleven year-old princess was obviously preparing to have a long chat with a certain ninja-in-training who had undoubtedly forgotten his place—again.

The whole court had sympathized with Kurogane when he had first come to Shirasagi Castle. As the orphaned son of a lord and a miko, and a powerful warrior even at the young age of fifteen, he had been treated with respect and honor, in hope that he would one day live up to his family name. But Kurogane had not wanted their pity, and had scorned their efforts with obscene curses and threats, withdrawing even further into the solitary shell he had created around himself. He would not even earn his keep, which made the whole court positive that he would soon be shown the door any day now. They had all given up on him as a lost cause because of his antisocial attitude.

All except for Tomoyo.

She came to a stop before his door and made to open it, but pulled back her hand the last second. Even though she was angry with him, she knew it would be rude of her to just barge in without so much as a warning. She settled on a light knock before drawing the door open without waiting for a reply. "Kurogane?" she said questioningly, tentatively poking her head in the room.

His room was surprisingly neat and tidy, devoid of personal items save for a few articles of clothing folded upon a few cushions and the silver sword Ginryuu lying across his bed. Kurogane himself was sitting in the small seat beside the window, his forehead resting against the cold glass as he gazed listlessly at the setting sun beyond the horizon. The mixture of the warm autumn colors of red and gold would have been able to move any person, but Kurogane was an exception. His blood-red eyes turned ever so slowly to hold her in his gaze, then flitted back to the window in disinterest.

Interpreting his silence as an affirmation that he at least accepted her presence for the time being, she drew the door shut behind her. It was astonishing, and viewed by many as something totally irregular, that Tomoyo sought out Kurogane's approval. As a princess, obviously it should be the other way around, but Tomoyo has always acted against tradition, especially in her unconventional method of restoring him to sanity.

Tomoyo cleared her throat. "I was hoping we could have a little talk, but you were absent at dinner." She supposed that sounded appropriate as an introduction.

Kurogane's mouth twitched ever so slightly before he replied, "I wasn't hungry."

Tomoyo smiled to herself. Now we're making some headway, she thought with satisfaction. If he's willing to talk, then the rest will be a breeze! "That's what I thought as well, but I started getting worried since you were also absent at lunch." Now why did she have to say that? She hastened to cover it up somehow. "What I mean to say is, I thought you might have gotten ill." She could feel her face burning, knowing with a dread certainty that Kurogane would see through her act. "Well, I... I was worried," she finished lamely. Oh, how embarrassing!

Kurogane continued to stare out the window, but he slowly arched an eyebrow. "You were worried about me?" he asked her quietly.

Tomoyo blinked. She had never heard him sound so serious before. Usually, his anger would always get the best of him and then there would be no dealing with him. He would growl and snarl at everyone, and it would take a miracle for him to calm down again. He was quite a hot-head, and rebellious by nature, resisting the courtiers' attempts to tame him. But Tomoyo was so surprised by his present behavior that she even forgot her previous irritation with him. He reminded her of the time when they had first talked and introduced themselves to each other. Was he thinking back on what had happened to change his life so drastically?

Kurogane turned his head to look her in the eye. Tomoyo swallowed uneasily. She always felt as if his eyes were drilling into him whenever he looked at her with those blood-red orbs, as if he had the ability to read her mind. But this time she was determined to return his gaze, which she did, tilting her chin up slightly in defiance.

"Pah!" Kurogane snorted dismissively. "As if! Your sister sent you just to make sure I hadn't escaped or something, didn't she?"

Tomoyo's mouth dropped open. The nerve of him! Here she was, baring her soul to him, and all he did in return was dismiss her efforts in her face! "How dare you?" she flared, narrowing her eyes dangerously. "I came here of my own free will, thank you very much!"

"Yeah, right!" Kurogane shouted angrily, leaping to his feet. "That bitch just accepts me here because she wants a new addition in that frigging army of hers, and that's the only reason you're interested in me!"

"That's not true! If that were the only reason, she would've had you training continuously day and night!"

"Aha!" He pointed a finger at her accusingly. "See! I'm right! It's one of the reasons I'm still trapped here! You said it yourself!"

Tomoyo angrily stamped her little foot down. "Stop talking as if you're a prisoner!"

"I am a prisoner!" he shot back. "Why the hell are there ninja always watching me, then? They're always following me and spying on me wherever I go, and don't you start defending yourself saying that you have no idea what I'm talking about!"

"How would I know about ninja following you? That's Souma's doing, not mine!"

"But that bitch follows orders from your sister, doesn't she? See? I knew it! I'm some sort of a tool you're all planning to use, aren't I?"

"By the gods!" Tomoyo cried out in exasperation, throwing her hands up into the air. "You really are the most thick-headed person I've ever had the misfortune to meet!"

"Oh, yeah? Same here!"

"You're such an ungrateful brat!"

"Look who's talking! If I didn't know any better I'd say that you were the brat! A spoiled brat!"

"Uncouth barbarian!"

"Pampered princess!"

They ended up hurling insults at each other, calling each other names at the top of their voices. Some of them were partly true while others were purely figments of their imaginations. It was a wonder that no one came running in to see what the commotion was all about. Could they even hear them? They were shouting, weren't they?

But to be honest with herself, Tomoyo actually felt good to be shouting. She usually always had to compose herself, but this argument was actually giving her the chance to blow off her steam, and she was soon grinning broadly in enjoyment. Just when they had fallen back to spurning each other's ranks for lack of ideas coming to them, Tomoyo suddenly burst out laughing hysterically.

Kurogane was so stunned that he simply gaped at her. "Huh?"

He only succeeded in making her laugh harder than ever, and she was soon clutching at her stomach with mirth.

Kurogane scratched his head, at a loss from her sudden outburst. He had always thought of her as a strange personage, and this display only enhanced his suspicions. "What the hell's gotten into you?" he demanded sourly.

Tomoyo stifled her giggles and raised her head, her eyes twinkling impishly. "You know, it's quite refreshing to have an argument after a relatively dull day," she told him matter-of-factly.

Kurogane regarded her with a puzzled furrow between his brows. "You're actually enjoying yourself?" he asked her, stunned beyond belief.

"Of course! This argument was just what I needed to make a rather boring day interesting."

"Then you aren't afraid of me?" he blurted before he could stop himself.

Tomoyo blinked in confusion. "Afraid? Why would I be afraid of you?"

Kurogane half-shrugged and sank back into the window seat. "Everyone's afraid of me," he said bitterly. He leaned his forehead against the window pane, his eyes somewhat melancholy as he looked down at his feet. "Just because I'm different from them."

Tomoyo quirked an eyebrow. "And is that something to be ashamed of?"

He looked up at her in surprise.

Tomoyo settled down beside him and regarded him seriously. "Everyone's different. It's the differences that define us."

"But I'm not good enough for them," he mumbled, hugging his legs to himself. "I'm not like all of the court officials. I wasn't raised like them. I have different beliefs, different ideals. They don't like and accept anyone who's different."

Tomoyo pursed her lips. "Are you seeking out their approval?"

"Not exactly," he said defensively. "I just don't want them to treat me differently." He exhaled wearily. "They always look at me like I'm some sort of nutcase. As if I'll suddenly snap and attack them all."

Tomoyo pressed her lips together. Needless to say, Kurogane had indeed acted like that when he had nearly gone mad with grief from the shock of losing both of his parents almost simultaneously a year ago. Tomoyo was positive that there would be no chance of it ever happening again, but it wasn't likely that she could convince everyone else. Even though she was the princess, she was only eleven years old, after all.

"Your antisocial attitude doesn't help the situation, you know," she told him critically. "Maybe if you made a bigger effort to be nicer—at least be more polite—they wouldn't be so afraid of you."

He reluctantly grunted in agreement.

"But you should always be yourself," she added.

He snorted derisively. "Easy for you to say," he grumbled.

"I suppose so," she admitted with a helpless laugh. "But don't worry. Even if nothing comes out of it, you'll always have me."

Kurogane's brow wrinkled in confusion. "I will?"

"Definitely!" she assured him with a nod. "I only ever feel comfortable and act like myself in your company, to be honest. Everyone else is so dull and boring." She smiled at him warmly. "You're always here to brighten up my dull days!"

Kurogane sighed in exasperation. "Well... I guess you do pretty much the same for me, Tomoyo," he admitted helplessly.

Tomoyo looked up at him in surprise. "You... you just said my name, didn't you?"

Kurogane blinked in confusion at first. Then what she said suddenly registered. His eyes widened in horror. "I-I didn't mean any disrespect!" he said quickly. "I only meant—" But he was not allowed to continue, for Tomoyo had suddenly shrieked with happiness and had twined her arms about his neck, kissing his cheek.

Kurogane stiffened in surprise, his hair suddenly standing on end. He was totally clueless as to how he should react. All he understood was that the princess was kissing him. Kissing him of all people! It was a kiss on the cheek of course, but nevertheless a kiss. He had never been kissed to know how to react!

Tomoyo (thankfully) released him soon afterwards. "I'm so happy! I've been waiting for you to call me by my proper name for ages!"

"Er..." Kurogane found himself at a loss to say anything more intelligent-sounding.

"I want you to call me by my name all the time," she promptly informed him. "Friends should call each other by their proper names, right?"

"...Friends?" he said slowly.

"Of course! We're friends, aren't we?"

Kurogane did not answer at first. But seeing Tomoyo's happy, smiling face, he felt something in his chest flutter slightly. In his heart, he truly wanted a friend; someone whom he could talk to with no fear and share everything with... someone who would always be there for him and by his side.

An awkward smile crept up onto his face. "Of course... Tomoyo..."

Tomoyo beamed and smiled up at him warmly.

In that moment, Kurogane knew in his heart that no matter what would happen in the distant future, Tomoyo would always be there for him.

Always.