Yay, something new! I don't own any characters featured in this fic. Mostly KuroFai...ish with SxS hints. Spoilers for chapters 120 and onwards
It was when Sakura met an old Wise woman, a crone, gathering herbs to make poultices and medicine that the princess began to practice leaving fresh flowers in everyone's rooms. When they each were lucky enough to have their own rooms, there would always be a glass of water standing by the windowsill, holding a bunch of freshly plucked flowers. For Syaoran there were always peonies by his side, Sakura herself cut the flowers of her name, sprigs of cheery blossom, to adorn her room. For Kurogane, gladiolus and to Fai she delivered yellow tulips.
When they shared rooms, each one's respective flower would be there, sharing a single glass of water; when they stayed for days on end, there would always be fresh flowers ready to great them every evening. Whether they stayed in homes or hovels, there was always a floral scent lingering in the air, and when they slept under the open sky, Sakura would search for an area full of flowers. She was almost fanatical about keeping fresh flowers within view, waking early to prepare a fresh bunch or changing the water in an old glass.
Every day, without fail
No one really questioned the strange obsession that she had acquired and she was more than happy to look for flowers herself. Finding the right flowers seemed to give her life; brought a sparkle of joy to her green eyes. Perhaps it was her way of letting them know that she was there for them, always watching over them just like the flowers she arranged in their rooms. Perhaps she thought that the flowers would give them all some much needed cheer. After all, they all needed a little happiness.
It was clear that things were not as they were before Tokyo and things would never go back to how they were. Even with a strange new companion with a familiar face and an unfamiliar heart, things had changed, spiralled out of control so drastically that sometimes it was hard to remember just how things were supposed to be. Sakura had changed for the better. Fai had not.
At first, he had bitterly rejected the thought of drinking Kurogane's blood, screaming and shouting and throwing things at the ninja in a blind rage that scared Sakura and Mokona both. He had grabbed nearby glass of water, raising it, ready to hurl it into Kurogane's face when he saw a single yellow tulip hanging onto the glass for dear life. His rage had subsided then and he placed the glass down again, leaving them in a pregnant silence.
There is sunshine in your smile.
He drank but not for himself.
Kurogane wanted him to drink for himself. He wanted that idiot of a wizard to live because he wanted to live. There need not be any grand reason. The simple desire to live was all he asked for and was all Fai refused to give.
Sakura began filling every place they came to with flowers, bringing Syaoran along with her to ask their hosts about the kinds of flowers they used in ceremonies and celebrations. She and Syaoran became quite the pair, gobbling up each country's customs with gusto.
Syaoran and Sakura grew closer. Kurogane and Fai drifted further apart.
They talked sometimes but never said anything, shared hollow, meaningless words on the behalf of the children. Kurogane would make a comment and Fai would smile and make some vague reply. Sometimes they could go on for half and hour or even half a day. Talking, but never really saying anything. Fai's smile was edged with ice, his single blue eye saying to Kurogane clearly, 'I can't forgive you' whilst he smiled as bleakly as spring's first light.
XX
"You need to drink," Kurogane walked into the room that they shared, rolling up his sleeve. Yellow tulips shared living space with a pair of gladiolas on the desk.
"I can go a while longer," Fai dismissed him, no longer caring to tease the ninja as he would have.
Kurogane frowned at the smiling wizard. He stayed where he was, just frowning back at that infuriating smile. Then he turned and walked wordlessly out of the room.
XX
There were poppies and marigolds in the front room with lilies of the valley poking through the middle of the yellow and red mass when Kurogane walked in to find Fai staring at his own reflection in the mirror.
The black sash that normally covered his gouged out eye was lying forlornly on the floor whilst Fai traced pale, slender fingers over the eyelid of the empty socket. His fingers brushed against his lashes almost wistfully. Kurogane stepped forwards, entering the reflection in the mirror.
Fai almost jumped. He whipped around and grabbed his sash, hurriedly wrapping it over his eye. Kurogane caught him, his larger hands encompassing Fai's small, slender fingers, squeezing them ever so slightly.
"Let me," he spoke laconically, taking the two ends of the sash from Fai's fingers.
"I can do it myself," the wizard protested but put up no resistance when Kurogane took the sash from him. "I'm not a cripple," he smiled at his own reflection and at Kurogane's face in the mirror, tying the sash in place, but his smile was wobbly and unconvincing.
"I'll do it," the ninja insisted.
Fai fell silent. Kurogane's fingers were deft and efficient, making short work of the sash; he quickly tied it securely around Fai's head yet his fingers held onto the ends as if there were more to do. He frowned as if he had forgotten how to let go, keeping his hands close to Fai's head and the wizard did not tell him to let go.
They said nothing as they stared into the mirror's reflection, gazing at something that might have been, that could have been. Eventually, Kurogane let his arms fall to his side and Fai turned to face him.
"Thank you," he dipped his head, smiling weakly, and walked out of the room.
XX
"That's it; you pour the chocolate in just like that."
Kurogane watched Fai as the wizard leant over Sakura, carefully watching as the princess let liquid chocolate run from the saucepan into the pot. He sat at the kitchen table, across from a vase of lilies of the valley that Sakura had plucked in the early morning. The little white heads hung like bells from rich green stalks, dangling over the edge of the vase.
"You're making that ridiculously sweet stuff again," he grumbled, propping his elbows onto the table. Across from him, Syaoran sat silently, blinking neutrally at everything.
"Don't you want to try some, Kurogane?" Fai asked without looking at him. If he had, he would have seen the momentary sour look that crossed the ninja's face at being addressed by his full name. It was ironic how things came about.
"I think that I'll pass," he said.
Sakura cut herself a piece as soon as it was finished. "It's delicious!" she gushed, cutting another helping onto her plate. She brought the freshly baked cake towards the table, pushing it across to where Syaoran sat. "Try some!" she urged him.
Syaoran glanced at Sakura then at the chocolate fondant, hesitantly picking up the fork but unsure as whether to dig into its rich, creamy contents.
"Try it," Kurogane prompted. He knew that the princess really wanted Syaoran's seal of approval on her baking. "It may be stupidly sweet but it won't kill you."
Another plate was pushed across the table, this time stopping in front of the ninja's face. Kurogane looked up, ready to politely dismiss Sakura's offer, when he found himself staring at Fai leaning over him with his hand still pushing the plate forwards.
"Daddy must lead by example."
A small, white bell fell from its stalk, hitting the tablecloth without a sound. Kurogane cut into the cake, staring at it with a slightly annoyed expression. Fai's smile burnt his back - bleak but constant and just a little tender.
XX
Moonlight fell through the window of the house and there was a cold draft blowing through, making him wish that they had stayed a little longer in the last world, or the world before that, or the world before that or…well, not Tokyo, but the world before Tokyo would have been fine too.
Sakura had since decided to change the kinds of flowers she gave them. For Syaoran there were still peonies and she still gave herself cheery blossom every day. However, Kurogane found that his trademark flower had somehow become a cutting of white heather whilst Fai had his room bestowed with none other than those little white bells that were the lily of the valley.
Whatever her reasons for her fascination, the sight of fresh flowers poking from the tabletops and windowsills had become so customary that he could not remember how long ago she made the switch. He wondered what had happened that would make her change her mind.
There was no clock but he could tell the time by watching the passage of the full moon. The sound of running water filled his ears and the night alike, drowning out the distant chirping of crickets.
A loud bang, followed by an equally loud clatter, startled him from his moon gazing. There was no need to glance around the room or wonder what the sudden noise that had disturbed the night's tranquillity was. The sound of running water continued and he knew instantly what had happened.
Kurogane ran through their bedroom to the shower room. He skidded in front of the door, ripping it open.
Steam instantly escaped, attacking his eyes as it fled and disappeared into the air. His eyes flew to the pale, huddled shape lying against the corner of the shower. Biting back a curse, he stepped into the shower - the water was scalding - and slapped his hands against Fai's hot, wet skin.
"Idiot! If you were feeling weak, you should have told me!" he shook the naked man, not caring as the water soaked through his shirt.
"K –Kurogane?" Fai opened his one good eye, peering blearily through the blue haze.
"Don't talk!" Kurogane turned off the hot water. "You're such an idiot," he cursed as he wrapped his arms around Fai's lithe frame, carrying him out of the shaky shower room and into the bedroom that they shared.
Seating Fai on the floor, the grabbed a towel and dried him down before transferring him to the bed. Fai was so light when he picked him up that he was not sure if what he was carrying was real.
As Kurogane placed him down, he took one moment to glance over the body for any injuries, taking the sight of him in; his pale skin, his lean muscles, his slender frame. Kurogane pushed strand of blond away from Fai's face and pulled a sheet over him to cover his body.
Fai's blue eye blinked at the ceiling. Kurogane held out his arm and he bit into it without thought, sucking greedily, until they were both close to dizziness. He felt Fai release him and he put his hands on the bed, heaving himself up onto unsteady feet when Fai's hand darted from the covers, catching his sleeve.
"Wait," his voice was small and steady, both trembling and powerful. "Stay with me…please? Kurogane," he whispered.
Kurogane looked at him with unblinking, crimson eyes. The ninja's name was spoken as a tender caress, as if it were an entirely different word from the 'Kurogane' Fai had spoken with such coldness and distance.
"Idiot," he smiled and sank to his knees, resting his head next to Fai's. The spell of sleep washed over them, along with the haunting scent of lilies.
It was hard finding Kurogane a flower. As Ando suggested I included a little flower dictionary at the end if anyone's interested.
Cherry blossom – Spiritual beauty, coming spring
Peony – Bashfulness, ambition, determination
Yellow tulips – There is sunshine in your smile
Gladiolus – Strength of character, sincerity
Marigold – Sacred affection, grief, despair
Red poppy - Pleasure
White heather – Protection, wishes will come true
Lily of the valley – The return of happiness, sweetness, humility