A/N: I'm back! And I present you with my next story, Arm... I guess this is a fairly common idea (and an even more common setting-kurofai fans love chapter 169 XD) but I do like how this story came out, and I hope you do too...Enjoy!

Tsubasa RESERVoir CHRoNiCLE

Arm

Kurogane lay on the bed unable to sleep, staring out the window at the heavens; the absence of the moon did not deter the stars from twinkling brightly across the dark expanse of the nighttime sky. His arm made of steel glinted with the stars, glowing eerily in the otherwise darkened room. Kurogane frowned slightly, flexing his mechanical fingers, reveling in the strength it exuded. He just wished to try fighting with Ginryuu with his new arm before their departure to the princess and the kid's worlds the next morning.

His metallic fingers stopped flexing when his senses alerted him of a presence outside his door. The person opened the door silently, stepped inside, and closed the door just as quietly. The figure started walking over to Kurogane's bed, obviously hoping to surprise the man. Although his back was to the figure, Kurogane knew to whom those padded footsteps belonged, and rolled his eyes exasperatedly.

"I know you're there, mage," he called out. He heard the man's steps halt and give an almost inaudible sigh of disappointment before chuckling and walking over to the resting man, his clothes rustling.

"Of course you know, Kuro-tan. Your super amazing ninja senses can hear me from a mile away, right?" Fai said teasingly. Beneath the banter, though, was an underlying tone of admiration. "I have to ask, how did you hear me? Souma-san didn't even notice I was behind her until she turned around. You must be a great ninja, Kuro-wan."

Kurogane snorted in amusement before replying. "I didn't really hear you. It was more like I felt your presence."

"Really?" Fai mused, sitting down next to Kurogane, eyes distant. He turned to smile wryly at the red-eyed man. "I thought only vampires were able to sense their E, not the other way around."

Kurogane stared at the blond silently before turning his head and closing his eyes. "Maybe it's a mutual effort. Maybe both of us can sense the other. I don't know. Who the hell really knows? Although, I knew where you were most of the time before you turned into a vampire anyways."

Fai smiled, closing his eye as well. "Maybe it's just because Kuro-pon is a wonderful ninja." His breathing was slow and even, and, in Kurogane's point of view, forced.

Kurogane opened his eyes, glaring at the other man slightly before reaching over to get the pocketknife on the bedside table. "I also know when you're hungry, idiot. Now that you don't have your magic, you're going to need to feed a lot more often."

His mechanical arm had just grabbed the pocketknife when pale, slender fingers wrapped themselves around his arm, causing him to drop the knife in surprise. "Stop," Fai said firmly, smiling mysteriously.

"What the hell? Are you seriously trying to tell me you're not hungry?" Kurogane exclaimed angrily, glaring at the unaffected blond.

"No," he said, opening his golden eye, which became slitted and cat-like. "I am hungry." He then proceeded to bring Kurogane's metallic arm towards him, examining it carefully. "Is the arm working well?" he asked offhandedly.

"Yeah," he muttered, annoyed at the man's blatant change in topic, and uncomfortably aware of how his hands held his steel arm so gently, as though it might break.

Fai's hands skimmed across the surface of the steel pieces, immersed in the texture and feel of the ninja's new arm. He brought it up to his face, caressing the arm against his cheek. "How unusual," he remarked. "The arm is made of steel, but it's so warm." He glanced at Kurogane coyly, his other hand holding Kurogane's real hand. "Just as warm as the real thing." Fai let go of Kurogane's arms, smirking slightly when the mechanical arm hesitated, hovering near Fai's cheek for another moment before Kurogane snatched it back near his own body, glaring at Fai half-heartedly.

"Don't change the subject," he said gruffly, starting to reach for the knife again when a hand again stopped him.

"I wasn't kidding when I said stop," Fai said, smiling faintly and straightening Kurogane's posture before moving closer to him. "I don't want you to cut your arm for me. It's your only arm. Well," he corrected, looking at the metal glinting from the starlight, "it's your only real arm, I should say. I can feed myself. You don't have to spoonfeed me anymore, Kuro-rin."

Kurogane recognized the double entendre in his sentence, and smiled, a small, triumphant smile. "Alright, then. Are you going to bite me with your fangs?"

Fai laughed merrily, exposing his slightly pointed canines. "That would be interesting, wouldn't it? But I think this works fine." The blond raised his hand, showing the sharp fingernail growing from his index finger.

Kurogane suddenly became conscious of how uncomfortably close Fai was to him. The golden-eyed man was sitting on his feet in a kneeling position, his legs brushing against his own. The man's face was close enough for Kurogane to feel his breath, eyes cat-like and smile sinister. Fai rose slightly from his position, shifting his legs so one rested on top of Kurogane's leg, his right arm wrapping around the ninja's shoulders. 'He's going to feed from my neck,' he realized suddenly.

Fai exhaled loudly, cool breath hitting the side of his throat. His fingernail grazed the neck, itching to cut and let blood pour out, delicious and red and lovely and life-giving. The vampire tensed suddenly, head coming up to stare at Kurogane with a half-lidded eye, wondering how the ninja's eyes were the same color of the blood he needed to drink. "Tell me if I'm hurting you or if I'm taking too much," he ordered, seriousness clearly evident in his face. The taller man stared back impassively before grunting in acquiescence, head turning away and tilting up to expose all of his neck and throat. Kurogane's simple willingness to give up his blood would have pained Fai if not for the vampire in him crying out for Kurogane's blood.

The sharp, long fingernail wasted no time, starting at the top of the column of the throat and dragging the nail down the side, ending where the neck met the shoulder. Fai took his nail out, licking the edge of his now blunt fingernail, watching Kurogane's blood travel down his throat, pooling into a puddle in the sunken area between the neck and shoulder. All thoughts of resistance left him as the other man's blood touched his lips, and used his hand around Kurogane's neck to pull the man's head down as Fai craned his head up, tongue begging for the delicious, red blood on the verge of spilling over from its little reservoir it had created.

Kurogane felt the hand around his neck move up towards his head, tugging him down towards the vampire's awaiting lips. Fai's golden eye was glazed over, moving closer towards the blood, his other hand unconsciously resting itself on Kurogane's side. The blond was eagerly lapping up the blood accumulated between the neck and shoulder, unaware of his surroundings and the man he was holding onto. 'He looks like a cat drinking milk for the first time,' he thought in amusement, noting in disbelief that the man actually purred at one point. He suddenly remembered the names in Outo Country, and a wave of nostalgia washed over him, sending him back to days with no clones, bright blue eyes, and a white pork bun jumping around in merriment. His arms acted on its own accord, a real hand stroking the blond hair, a steel arm wrapping around the other man's waist.

Fai felt a strong, warm hand touch his hair and another, equally strong and warm arm hug his waist. The blond felt a vague form of surprise, his head still foggy with the thoughts of blood on his lips. His tongue stilled on Kurogane's throat, a stream of coherent thoughts finally entering his mind as his golden eye went wide in confusion. 'Kuro-tan's…holding onto me?' he thought, brows furrowing in disbelief. Before he could ask himself why, Fai became aware of his position, a hand in the other man's hair while the other hand rested on the ninja's side, almost sitting on Kurogane's lap. 'Oh,' he noted in embarrassment, flushing slightly, 'he's just returning the favor.' Nevertheless, he allowed himself a small smile as he finished licking off all the blood, dragging his tongue over the wound once more to speed up the healing. Fai hesitated again, unsure of what to do before pressing his lips on Kurogane's neck in gratitude, smiling against the skin.

Kurogane felt Fai's tongue stop suddenly against his throat when his arms touched the smaller man's body, and the ninja cursed inwardly at his stupidity. He prepared to remove his arms from Fai's hair and waist when the other man suddenly started feeding again, giving one last swipe on the taller man's throat for good measure before raising his head slightly. Kurogane waited to see the golden eye stare into his own red eyes in humor but jumped slightly in surprise to find warm lips pressed at the junction between his neck and shoulder once again, as though it were a kiss. His lips widened to form a smile against his skin. Kurogane sighed inaudibly in relief, glad his actions were approved by the idiot.

Fai finally moved away, staring at Kurogane with a gentle smile. Kurogane scrutinized him for a moment before speaking. "Why did you feed from the neck?"

The vampire laughed, staring at the other man superiorly. "Ah, but I told you already, didn't I? I don't want to cut your arm." His gaze softened, glancing once at the steel arm. You already sacrificed one arm for me; I don't want to drink your blood from your other."

"That's a stupid reason," muttered Kurogane unconvincingly, to which Fai responded by smiling brightly. The blond's finger traced the rapidly healing wound on his throat and neck, eyes solemn.

"There shouldn't be any mark by next morning," said Fai softly. "I've sped up the healing process."

"Vampire's healing abilities?" asked Kurogane. Fai hummed in agreement, closing his eye tiredly. Kurogane saw the beginnings of a black circle around his golden eye, and spoke sharply. "Go sleep. You need rest."

Fai grinned at the command, eye still closed. "Hyuu! Kuro-wanko cares about me!"

The ninja groaned at the latest use of his nickname. "Shut up, idiot. Go sleep."

"Yeah, yeah…" with that, Fai moved off Kurogane, who released his grip on the blond, and walked out to the door before pausing. He turned his head, staring at Kurogane. "You go to sleep too. I think that arm needs some getting used to."

Kurogane sighed and glared at Fai. "If someone would go to sleep already, I would have been asleep by now."

"Alright, alright!" Fai grinned, opening the screen door and stepping outside. He turned to close the door, poking his head in one last time. "Good night, Kuro-sama."

And then he closed the door. Kurogane stared at the door for awhile longer before closing his eyes and laying on the bed, wondering how the hell he can miss the blond's presence already. The ninja turned on his side, preparing to sleep when a steel part became wedged uncomfortably in his side. Kurogane cursed angrily before shifting his position. Damn that idiot. He was right.

-OWARI-

A/N: The ending was a bit frustrating for me, since everything seemed to end too awkwardly, but I hope this doesn't sound too bad...I'd love for you guys to review, because reviews are wonderful and it's nice to know that people like my stories enough to comment on it... Thanks for reading! :)