A/N: LAST CHAPTER. I hope you all enjoyed reading this as much as I enjoyed writing it. It was great fun. Thank you to everyone who gave me reviews. Since I tend to write late at night when I'm exhausted, getting such nice reviews made it a lot easier to force myself to write. So thank you. :)
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The Love Kiss
Finally, the love kiss is any kiss that you give while thinking tender, loving thoughts about your partner. You might not realize it, but your kissing style can be influenced by whatever's on your mind. Smooching with love on your mind will make your kisses extra soft and sweet. Whether it's on your partner's mouth, neck, ear or forehead, the love kiss is the most romantic kiss you can give.
Kurogane and Fai have shared many, many kisses during their time together. Hundreds, thousands, or even tens of thousands according to Fai. Kurogane is a bit more conservative. He estimates the number to be maybe a hundred.
The number is, really, closer to Fai's count.
The kisses are frequent, even if Kurogane doesn't admit it. A shy kiss after nightly activities, a lazy kiss in the morning, a heated and passionate kiss in the evening… All are tied together with only one thing.
Love.
Kurogane won't admit it either, not for awhile. He's uncomfortable with saying those three precious words. I love you. But Fai is less shy and pronounces his affection every chance he gets. Kurogane prefers to express his love in physical ways.
Honestly, he's the one who is most responsible for the high count of kisses.
It took them awhile to figure out how to kiss each other properly. Their first kiss, hot with Fai's close encounter with death, was clumsy: noses hit, and teeth clacked together. No matter how they enjoyed it, it was awkward. Finding the correct angle to put their noses was nearly impossible, and their lips seemed to move at different rates.
It didn't take too long though. Both, though inexperienced, were quick learners. These days they both feel most at ease when tangled in each other's arms, lips pressed together gently.
The habits they have now were developed early on. Fai is slow to wake each morning, and Kurogane is not. The ninja is a light sleeper, always keeping one eye open. He watches in the morning as Fai sleeps, silent and thoughtful. If Fai has a pleasant dream, Kurogane smiles softly; if it is a nightmare, he reaches down and kisses Fai's eyes to wake him up. The mage is never happy to wake up, even in such a pleasant way, but Kurogane doesn't mind when Fai glares at him with eyes full of sleep.
Kurogane is happy when they are together, largely because Fai is happy, even though his face rarely shows it openly.
There was a time when they weren't so happy together.
Kurogane still dreams sometimes about Fai's eaten eye and empty socket. He has nightmares about Fai dying instead of becoming a vampire. Sometimes the dreams seem to freeze and move in panels. Oftentimes, they freeze on Fai's face that first morning, his voice on constant loop repeating "Good morning, Kurogane." The kisses that happened after that day were sad and hurt and angry. Both men were bitter, and their only kisses tasted of blood.
Kurogane is much happier when Fai's lips taste of sugar instead of iron, even though neither is particularly pleasant.
Fai is happy simply to have the taste of Kurogane at all.
He can taste the love on Kurogane's lips. The other man's hand often tangles in his hair, and Kurogane's breath on his lips and tongue is truly heaven. Fai sighs into the kisses, eyes closed and heart filled to the brim with unspoken emotion that he tries to communicate silently with the motions of his mouth alone.
Both find that often, kisses are far better at showing love than words are.