Yay! Another Kurofai oneshot. This is set between the Country of Outo and the country of Shara. There were SO many KuroFai related things to think about in Outo country that I had most of them be adressed in this little Oneshot :D I hope you all like! Remember Reviews are like LIFE!

Partially inspired by a very recent and frustratingly thorough sinus infection XP As well as past experience with Swine Flu XPXP Nasty sickness. Don't ever catch it!

Disclaimer: I own absolutely nothing but the Plot ^^ All characters belong to CLAMP

It was bound to happen at some point.

There was just too much chance that it would.

It had to happen at least once.

Along with traveling, comes one very important detail that needs to be considered.

If you're going to travel through foreign countries…

You're going to catch a foreign disease.

Such was the case of Fai. Shortly after their departure from the Country of Oto, they had landed in a different world where the only dominating feature was the little village they emerged in. It was somewhat similar to the country of Jade. In any case, Fai, of all people, had caught himself a cold or sickness from this world.

Luckily for him, he caught it after Syaoran, Sakura, Mokona and Kurogane sold some of their clothes for two rooms at a local inn. He was bedridden for two days now, with no sign of recovery.

He had asked Syaoran to move on with the journey and switch worlds, that Sakura's feathers were more important and that he should be fine anyway in a few days. Syaoran refused. There was no way that Fai was going to leave this country and possibly infect the inhabitants of the next world with a foreign illness and cause an epidemic.

Syaoran and Sakura didn't understand his hurry to move on to another country, but Kurogane picked up on it. He knew that the mage was running away from someone. He'd told him in the Country of Koryo. He knew that the wizard didn't like to stay in one place for too long, for fear of being found.

But his condition was pretty bad. He had a fever, congestion, nausea, cold sweat, clammy hands and body aches. No one had ever seen him look so helpless. While Syaoran was the main candidate in tending to him, Sakura had to keep her distance from him (despite her protests), and spent her time with Mokona in the other room. She was still too weak with only a couple memory feathers, and Syaoran feared she'd catch Fai's illness. Kurogane hung around Fai's room to make sure Syaoran didn't catch anything.

Syaoran could tell that Kurogane was sulking though, whether it was because Fai was sick, or because of something else he couldn't tell, but something was bothering him. Mokona had sensed a feather-like feeling when they arrived but Syaoran felt Fai's illness should be tended to first. For Heaven's sake, he was so weak he fell on his face the first time he tried to stand up!

After finding some medicine, Fai had been ordered bed rest for several more days while the medicine fought the disease. Fai sighed.

"Syaoran-kun," he said weakly. Syaoran, who was sitting on a chair next to Fai, leaned over.

"Yes? Fai-san?" he asked. The mage smiled, however tired and forced it may be.

"You should go with Sakura-chan and Mokona to find Sakura-chan's feather. Mokona sensed something right? You don't have to worry about me." he smiled. Syaoran looked slightly trapped between taking his advice, and staying put.

"But you need someone here to…" he started.

"No need! That's why I'm keeping Kuro-sama here!" Fai replied, voice strained and raspy. He pointed over to the corner where Kurogane sat by the window. He lazily turned toward both of them and nodded. He stood up.

"Yeah, I'll be here and make sure he doesn't go and kill himself by standing up." he muttered, casting a dark look at Fai. The wizard smiled. Syaoran looked a little relieved.

"Well…alright then. Sakura and I will be back before nightfall." He promised. Both adults nodded as the teen left and went next door to inform Sakura of their job. Fai smiled.

"Hyuu! Now we're all alone Kuro-sama!" Fai laughed, voice dry. Kurogane turned around to face the window again.

"Is the reason why you sent the kid to look for the feather, so he can get the princess's memory back…? Or is it because you want to leave this country as soon as possible?" Kurogane questioned. Fai remained silent for a moment.

"Why is Kuro-sama brooding? Are you sad that I'm sick?" he teased. Kurogane turned to him slowly.

"Who's brooding now?" he asked, glaring at the mage as if daring him to continue. Fai laughed and clapped his hands.

"Hyuu! What a scary look!" he cheered, only to be interrupted by a dry coughing fit. Kurogane stood up and moved to his bedside, picking up a glass of water left on the nightstand. He waited another moment to see if the mage would start coughing again, then handed over the glass. Fai gratefully took it and sipped slowly, unwilling to set off his nauseas stomach. He smiled.

"Thank you Kuro-sama. You're so sweet!" he chimed. Kurogane just looked past him and out the window. An awkward silence passed over both of them.

"Eh…K-Kuro-sama? Have I done something to upset you again?" he asked nervously. Kurogane didn't respond. After waving a hand in front of his face and receiving no sign of recognition he sighed.

He curled back into bed, facing away from Kurogane and pulled the blankets close to his face. Although his fever was quite high, his body still felt ice cold to him. He shivered. This got Kurogane's attention.

"Need another blanket?" he asked. Fai laughed bitterly.

"You chose the most unnecessary moments to pay attention to me." he said, a biting edge to his words. "Kuro-sama really is a man isn't he?" This made Kurogane's eye twitch.

"Of course I am! I sure as hell am not a woman!" he said irately. Fai chuckled, more naturally this time.

"That's not what I meant, but this just makes it even more so." he smiled beneath the blanket. He was glad Kurogane wasn't a mind reader. What was going through Fai's mind surely would've gotten him a punch to the face.

"Kuro-tan really doesn't like it when I say things like that does he?" he whispered. Kurogane heard him and clenched his teeth.

"Stop that." he muttered. Shocked by the change of tone, Fai turned slightly to look at him.

"Stop what Kuro-nyan? I'm only resting." he chuckled. The warrior's jaw tightened.

"No, stop saying things like that. Stop pointing out that what you're saying is something that I don't like." he snapped. Fai smiled, turning fully to face him.

"But that's what Kuro-sama said in the last country. He doesn't like it when I say things like that, because I'm the person he hates most." he tried to cover the pain in his voice with a smile, a tactic that had never once worked on Kurogane but he didn't know any other way. Kurogane's eyes narrowed.

"That's not what I said." he bit "I said you're the TYPE of person I hate most." he corrected. Fai's eye twitched. Hadn't Kurogane told him that already? Why say it again so bluntly when it was obvious it hurt Fai, or did he really not care that much?

"Isn't that the same thing? Hating someone is Hating someone isn't it?" Fai replied bitterly. The warrior glanced at him.

"It's entirely different. I could hate a thousand people, exactly like you…and not be able to force myself to hate you." he said, a flush beginning to color his cheeks. Fai's expression loosened into one of shock.

"Kuro-rin?" Kurogane looked away, scratching his neck.

"Before in Outo, when I said that to you, I was angry. I was pissed off that you'd went and gotten yourself hurt. I was…" he didn't finish his sentence but Fai could fill in the blanks.

"D-does that mean that…even now…Kuro-sama's ignoring me because he's…worried?" Fai smiled. Kurogane heard the smile in his voice and turned abruptly, assuming the mage to be mocking him but the look on the wizard's face was one of utter joy and contentment. Even with sickly skin and unclean tousled hair, that smile, that particular smile caused Kurogane's trained ninja heartbeat to jump.

"Kuro-sama's such a softy." Fai mumbled, cheeks flushed from the fever and his exhilarated heart.

"WHAT THE HELL DID YOU CALL ME!" Kurogane shouted, his own cheeks flushed from embarrassment. "You go and make me say those embarrassing things and then you…!"

He stopped, Fai was leaning toward him, his eyes half lidded and hand resting against Kurogane's cheek.

"K-Kuro…ga…" he started but never finished. His face fell forward and rested against Kurogane's chest asleep. The warrior held him there for a moment before placing him back into bed.

The mage wasn't himself. He was delusional from the fever and was sure not to remember this conversation in the morning. He was sure of it. That was why he'd admitted his feelings of worry to the mage. He knew that while indisposed like this, the blonde may as well be drunk. He won't remember anything. Not even his attempt to kiss him. No. That memory was for Kurogane alone.

Although he had to admit, he was glad the mage fainted when he did. If he'd finished the last syllable of his name, he might've lost his composure and kissed the mage with all the passion he had.

He pulled the blanket up to Fai's chin, he usually slept with his face covered in some way shape or form. Kurogane had noticed that. It intrigued him, all the sleeping habits of his fellow travelers. Syaoran was like him, still and silent. Sakura was restless and loud. Fai…he was a different sort of still and silent… in his sleep, one could've mistaken him for a dead man.

He ran his hand over the mage's forehead briefly, checking his temperature. It'd gone down but not by much. A part of him wanted him to get better soon, but another part, one he'd refused to even recognize as himself thinking, wanted everyone to stay a little longer in this country. If they stayed long enough in one country, that powerful mage guy the blonde was talking about might catch up with them. And then he'd get to meet, face to face, the man who threatened the life of that precious blonde. He didn't care what the blonde did to make this person want to follow him. Whether the mage was a criminal, or escapee or whatever, he'd already made his decision.

Back in Outo Country, he'd used a technique to defeat the Oni. He knew the current sword he had wouldn't be able to stand the force of the technique, but still he tried it. At that moment, he put all his energy into that one attack, not to defeat the Oni…but to protect Fai.

That was the first time….the first time in a long time. When that word had entered his mind.

Protect

There was no denying it now, the mage was certainly someone he wanted to protect. In spite of all his imperfections and bad characteristics. He couldn't help himself. As hard as he tried. He just couldn't hate the wizard.

He pulled his hand away from his forehead and left the mage to sleep. No sooner had he stepped outside the door, had Syaoran and Sakura entered the main door of the inn. Syaoran was soaking wet and carrying a bucket of water with him.

"What the hell happened to you?" Kurogane asked, confused. Syaoran smiled genuinely, to let him know he wasn't hurt.

"I'm fine Kurogane-san." he said. Kurogane stiffened.

"That's not what I asked kid!" he retorted, slightly embarrassed that the kid noticed his worried expression. If even Syaoran knew when he was worried about him, then why couldn't the mage see it when he was worried about him? Or did he hide it better BECAUSE it was the mage he was worried about? He cast the thought aside.

"Did you find the feather?" he asked, refocusing. Sakura nodded.

"Yes, we found it in a hot spring." she explained. Kurogane quirked his eyebrow.

"There was a hot spring nearby that was rumored to have healing properties. Mokona sensed the Princess's feather in the same direction so we went to see. Apparently the spring did have healing qualities, though it seems it was all due to the feather." Syaoran explained.

"So…you dove in to get the feather, and came back with a bucket of this 'healing water' for the mage to drink. Am I right?" the warrior asked. Syaoran, unsurprised by the older male's intuition, nodded.

"Yes." Kurogane looked into the bucket and sure enough, there it was. Princess Sakura's feather, glowing in the water. "Take it up to him later. He's sleeping right now." he said, sitting down on one of the couch's in the lobby. Syaoran nodded.

"I'll just go check on him then. I'll be careful not to wake him up." the teenager said.

"Wait! I'll come too." Sakura pleaded "I want to see him, since I haven't been able to do anything for him." she said pathetically. Mokona bounced up on her shoulder.

"That's not true! It's Sakura's feather that's making the water magic! Maybe Fai will get better if he drinks the water!" Mokona chirped. Sakura smiled.

"Yes you're right. But I'd just like to look in on him, make sure he's sleeping well." she continued. Syaoran nodded as they both ascended the stairs to Fai's room.

Kurogane stared at the fireplace.

Looks like that bastard who's chasing the mage will have to wait. Looks like they'll be leaving this world sooner than expected. Such is the way things go.

He took a seat on the couch in front of the fireplace. He was glad the Inn wasn't too busy today. It let him think in peace. The dimming room, the low lit atmosphere, the light smell of alcohol from the Innkeepers' bar…it reminded him of his conversation with the mage at the Clover. His words began swirling around in his head.

'I can certainly understand the sentiment, to want someone to take you away.'

The mage was waiting for someone. Yet there was someone chasing him. Did the mage hope to get caught? Did the reason the mage flee his country because of embarrassment or fear? Was the person chasing him an old lover?

For some reason that thought made his stomach churn. He cursed himself for letting himself sit next to the mage and blamed the possibility that he caught whatever the blonde had. It was well known to him though that that was not the case.

He remembered what the wizard had said after that.

'There must be someone, someone who you'd like to go somewhere far away with?'

Kurogane was not a runaway. He'd never turn away from a problem involving him, alone or with someone. At the time it was a stupid insinuation, until he'd realized the depth of the words a little while later.

If there was someone he'd want to go somewhere far away with, he might as well go with someone that's going to the same destination. Someone who's already been traveling with him all this time. Someone worthy of his protection…No, worth doesn't have anything to do with it. He doesn't protect because of worth, a concept lost to him while he was with Tomoyo.

He protects because he doesn't want to lose those important to him.

And the mage…was someone important to him.

There were three words. Three words so easily thought yet so hard to confront. For the moment, just this one time, he'd push it off to the side. As important as it was…he'd ignore them for the time being.

There was shuffling upstairs and several pairs of footsteps heading towards the steps. He imagined the princess, kid and meat bun had managed to wake the mage and feed him the healing water.

A few moments later, sure enough, all four of them came down the stairs, the mage healthy and lively as he had been before he fell ill. He was stretching his limbs and back as he came down the stairs.

"Ah! Sakura-chan! That water was not only helpful, it was also delicious! Thank you. You were a big help." he said, patting the girl on the head. Her eyes glowed with pride that she was actually able to do something about Fai's state.

"It's no trouble!" she chirped, hugging Mokona close to her.

"Yes! Thank you very much!" he said again, though his expression suddenly changed to contemplation "Though I have a feeling I've forgotten something. Ah Kuro-puu! Did I say anything when we were upstairs." Fai asked. Kurogane clenched at his folded arms.

"Nothing but a bunch of damn nicknames before you dropped unconscious." he said simply, not facing the wizard. Fai smiled, blissfully ignorant.

"Well that's good. But I suppose it was good even if a dream." he added softly. Syaoran moved toward Sakura, her feather in his hands.

"Are you ready princess?" he asked. She nodded before her body absorbed the feather and she fell asleep in the young man's arms. Kurogane moved himself to one of the chairs so Syaoran could set the princess down on the couch in front of the fire. He stared at her peaceful state before resting his head next to her hand. Kurogane was so intent on staring at the fire he barely noticed Fai come up behind him and rest his chin on the armrest.

"Floating beyond time, there's a city made of wind. Please dear take me there…"he hummed softly. Kurogane whipped his head quickly toward him. Surprised that the mage would bring up the song they heard at the Clover.

"Doesn't this remind you of the last world Kuro-tan? I just thought of that pretty song that Oruha-san sang." he smiled. Kurogane gazed at him, bewildered.

"You say that I fell asleep right away, but that was a lie wasn't it Kuro-sama?" he said. The warrior said nothing. Fai continued. "If you lied about it, then that means that my dream wasn't really a dream was it?"

Kurogane was getting irritated.

"What the hell are you getting at?" he demanded. Fai smiled and drew his face to the same level as Kurogane's.

"I'm saying I'm glad that Kuro-sama was worried about me…" Fai drew his face in slowly, giving Kurogane time to react. Instead of pushing the mage away, he leaned in to meet the blonde's lips and gently kneaded them with his own. The two tangled their mouths together briefly before Fai drew away, this time a sad smile on his lips.

"…but," he continued "it might be better if Kuro-sama didn't pay so much attention to me." he finished. Kurogane inwardly sighed. He should've known the blonde would retract back into his shell as soon as his emotions were bared.

It pissed him off, and when they landed in the next world, separated from Syaoran, Mokona and Sakura, he repaid the mage by not letting his eyes off him. He paid special attention to everything he did, everything he said.

He paid even more attention to the mage when they landed in Yama, making communication between them almost impossible. From then on, he never let his gaze slip from the mage, never separated himself from him. He didn't know his reason. Whether it was revenge, or his own selfish hope that maybe, the mage was paying attention to him as well.

Please Review~! If any of you are confused as to what Fai actually said at the Clover, I used the English version of the anime instead of the manga. I referenced the manga in the beginning but then near the end I switched it to the anime (mainly because I liked what Fai said in the anime and I wanted to write what Kurogane would think in response to it.) And if you hadn't figured it out already, they went to the country of Shara after this little random country I made up. And then Yama would follow that.