Author's Notes:

So, I'm veering off a bit from the manga in these next few chapters. I have a couple reasons for this, the foremost being the required changes brought on by the pairing. But the other reason is that I have a slight issue with the timing presented in the books (Your Mileage May Vary on whether I'm right about this or not). In the manga, it seemed like the events in Nihon occurred very rapidly (seemingly within a couple days, when in reality, it would have taken weeks for everyone to get back to full strength). My issue here is that in the manga, it seems like Kurogane wakes up within hours of leaving Ceres when in reality a wound that severe would probably involve him being bedridden for at least a few days, regardless of his strength. Also, when Syaoran gets to see Sakura's body sitting in the tree for the first time, which is something that should have happened as soon as they dealt with the immediate danger to Kurogane's life, Kurogane appears to be well enough to walk around. To me, the timing in those scenes seems a little suspect, though again, YMMV. Aside from that, I have a reputation for treating wounds in fiction with a little more realism than you might find in other stories, meaning long recoveries and lingering aches and pains. So I'm changing things. The Nihon arc won't be nearly as long as the Infinity arc, but it will be significantly longer than it appeared in the manga (which will be nice, because after this, we go into the final arc with FWR, and there won't be much room for romance until they defeat the Big Bad).

Well, that turned out to be a long author's note. I hope I haven't bored any of you. Big thanks to everyone who has read and reviewed, and I hope you guys continue to enjoy the story.

Chapter Eighty-Nine

The rest of the day whipped by so fast, Syaoran barely had time to worry.

Most of the afternoon he spent running errands for Tomoyo. On the first day, her requests for his assistance in tasks such as cleaning training equipment and folding clothes struck him as odd and, he admitted, a little unfair. Throughout the day, she sent servants to call on him to perform chores, just as he would have had he been living only with his traveling companions. Whenever he completed one task, he'd either receive another order, or one of the servants would coax him into accepting some small luxury, be it a snack from the kitchens or some small trinket.

Once Kurogane and the other priority patients had been dealt with, several healers came in to dress his wounds—he still hadn't fully recovered from his last fight in Infinity, and Ashura's attacks in Ceres had left him battered and cut up. After that, a group of servants directed him toward the hot springs where they scrubbed him down and brought him clean clothes, and after that, a group of young women wearing kimonos requested his help in hanging paper lanterns from ropes for an upcoming ceremony. Halfway through, several men came out to the garden, calling everyone to the dining hall for dinner. In all the chaos, Syaoran hadn't even noticed his hunger. The reminder made his stomach snarl, and though he wanted to check on Kurogane's status, he also didn't want to be chastised for not taking care of himself.

By the time he realized Tomoyo's subtle manipulations were meant to distract him from his worry, night had fallen and he was too tired to say anything. As soon as the staff freed him for the evening, he went back to his quarters and collapsed on the soft mat on the floor, falling asleep within minutes.

He didn't dream, but when he woke, it was still dark. Quietly, he sat up, scanning the room. Fai lay face-down on his own mat, using his coat as a pillow. Syaoran wondered, briefly, if he'd bothered to wash the blood off since arriving here, then figured that if he hadn't, one of the servants would have dealt with it by now.

Syaoran considered going back to sleep, then sighed, knowing he wouldn't be able to rest now that the palace was quiet. He'd grown used to sleeping with his companions close by. It felt wrong that two of his companions were absent, one nestled in a tree, the other in the infirmary. I should see if Kurogane is awake, Syaoran thought, slipping on fresh clothes and wiping the crust from his eyes.

He wandered down the dim corridors for a while, still unfamiliar with the layout of the castle. Periodically, he'd pass someone else in the hallway, usually a servant, and greet them with a nod. Those who noticed either nodded back or stared at him, eyes wide with surprise at being acknowledged.

Eventually, he found the infirmary. It was the only part of the castle still aglow with lantern light, and it teemed with healers. Syaoran stood at the end of the hall for a few minutes, searching for someone who didn't look too busy so he could ask them about Kurogane's condition. When several minutes passed without any such person passing by, he moved further down the hall, peering through cracks in the doors.

"You shouldn't be up this late," said a familiar voice. Doctor Yamura, he thought, then remembered that this person went by her first name, not her last.

"I'm sorry," he said, bowing. "I woke up and thought I might be able to—"

"I know why you came," she said, closing her eyes for a moment. "He's asleep. He won't wake up for hours, probably days. There's nothing you can do for him."

"Can't I see him?" he asked, feeling childish. "Just for a moment?"

Hinata opened her mouth as if to refuse, then let out a breath. "Very well. But only for a moment." She passed him, her steps quick, purposeful. He followed her to a small room at the end of the corridor, stepping inside when she gestured impatiently.

Kurogane lay unconscious on the floor, cushioned only by a thin mat and a cylindrical pillow. The moonlight spilled in from the window, making his skin look ghostly white. Someone had folded his arm over his abdomen, apparently trying to create the same impression of peace as morticians tried to give the dead during their funerals.

One sleeve laid flat on the ground, like a deflated balloon.

Syaoran knelt at the edge of the mat, feeling numb. He wanted to reach out and take Kurogane's hand, but Hinata stood watching from the doorway, her face impassive. I can't do anything, he realized. I can't even touch him. His breath caught, and he closed his eyes, suddenly wishing he hadn't come. The pale skin, the unnatural slumber—it reminded him too much of death.

His gaze slid over to Hinata, gauging her attention. Her face gave away nothing. He looked at the ninja's hand, resting just over his diaphragm. Surely, one touch wouldn't give away their relationship. He wouldn't even be holding the ninja's hand, really, just touching it. A friend could do that, couldn't they?

"He wouldn't want you to worry," Hinata said. When he didn't respond after a few seconds, she sighed. "You should probably go to your chambers now. He's not even supposed to have visitors yet—too many foreign spirits could infect the wound."

"I see," he said, drawing back and giving up his chance for that single touch. "You're right. I should go." He took a deep breath to compose himself, then walked out.

He made it back to his room before the first tears slipped out.

The next day was better. And worse.

A group of servants called him to breakfast shortly after sunrise. Syaoran stirred, tired after last night's expedition to the medical wing. He half-considered ignoring the summons, then decided to get up anyway. He'd seen Kurogane's memories through the Other's eyes, so he knew this world better than many he'd fallen into during this journey, but he understood few of the subtleties. He didn't want to offend anyone by ignoring their offerings.

He stepped into the dining hall to find Fai picking through a selection of sushi and vegetables, a slightly sour twist to his expression. Relieved not to be alone, he sat beside the magician. "Good morning."

"Morning," Fai said, grabbing a piece of lettuce with the thin end of his chopsticks. He managed to hold onto it for almost two seconds before it slipped from the utensils' grasp. Fai frowned. "I don't understand why anyone would think to use a pair of sticks as a utensil," he said. "Honestly, who thought that was a good idea?"

Syaoran smiled faintly, picking up his own chopsticks as one of the servants set a platter of food in front of him. "It's not so hard." He picked up a pale pink piece of fish and popped it into his mouth.

Fai's lips pulled back in a grimace. He changed the subject. "I talked to Tomoyo-chan this morning."

Syaoran tensed. "What did she say?"

"She told me Kuro-pin's condition has stabilized. He's out of danger."

"That's good."

The magician looked at him for a long moment. "You've already been to see him, haven't you?"

His spine went rigid. He turned his face toward the floor, guilty. "I couldn't sleep last night, so I went to see him."

Fai nodded, seeming unsurprised. "I thought as much. Are you going to finish those vegetables?"

He'd been planning on eating them, but the query reminded him of the wizard's disdain for raw fish. "No. You can have them." He nudged the assortment of vegetables onto Fai's plate, not commenting on his picky preferences.

They ate in silence for a few minutes before Fai set his chopsticks down. "I know it's not my business, but were you . . . discreet about your visit?"

Syaoran felt his cheeks warm. "Fai-san, that's a bit personal . . ."

"I'm not asking because I'm uncomfortable with it." He hesitated. "I can accept what you two have. But Kuro-sama may not want to have his . . . preferences broadcast here, in his own world."

His blush deepened. "I know that. I wouldn't . . . I would never disgrace him like that in front of his own people."

"It's not . . ." Fai bit his lip, glancing around the dining hall. A few servants chatted two tables away, not paying them any heed, but their presence emphasized the sensitive nature of the conversation. Fai lowered his voice. "I just wanted to remind you to walk softly until we have a firmer grasp of the expectations here."

He bowed his head. This may be the most awkward conversation I've had since Fai found out what we were doing, he thought, nose twitching at the memory. "I understand," he said. "I've been careful."

Fai looked at his plate for a long moment, then nodded, evidently accepting his assurance.

They didn't speak for the rest of the meal.