I started this so long ago. Almost three months ago. Since then, I've been working on it on and off.

She dashes through the woods, tears slipping down her face and baby face filled with anguish.

The familiar rush of water reaches her, and the close comfort brings on another bout of fresh salty droplets.

The tears gather in a cut on the side of her face, from one of the branches, mixing into her blood and into the small scrape. A sting is prevalent, and it's enough to edge her thoughts away from the burning reality for a time.

A short time.

She crawls to the water, to a place where the water was still and reflective.

The wound isn't bad, though it has bloodied a fair percentage of half of her face.

Splashing cold water on it, it has soon washed away.

"Isn't that what you consider highly unsterile?" A well-loved voice says.

"Corn!"

She runs to him, enveloped in his larger arms, and then the sting of bacteria in her cut reminds her of why she is here.

The temporary lapse in tears leaves within a second.

The childish body is racked with painful sobs. It's hard to breathe.

'Corn' keeps his hold on her, allowing it to continue for a while before asking in a gentle voice, kneeling down to her level.

"Hey, what's wrong?"

He cannot get an answer immediately because of Kyoko's blocked airways.

Finally, she manages,

"Mo...ther."

He holds her tight as she sobs again.

"It'll be okay, Kyoko. I promise."

A muffled sharp intake of breath signals another round of heartbreaking, pain-filled droplets.

He allows more time to pass before asking.

"Cheer up, Kyoko. I'll teach you how to dance like a fairy."

A sniffle, and then she almost imperceptibly in a tiny voice asks, "How?"

"I'll teach you." He repeats, leading her out by the hand into the center of the clearing.

He realizes he has no idea on what to do.

Fairies must have a different dance from humans. What might work...?

"So, us fairies have a different way of dancing than most."

"Really?" She is fascinated, reddened eyes glowing with wonderment.

"We act out stories with each dance." He continues.

"Wowww...!"

"The one I'm going to teach you is about a princess who all of her life has been locked away in a castle, all alone. For one day a year is she allowed to go out. During one of these times, she meets someone, and he becomes her first friend. They see each other every time after that, and become closer. But then the evil king finds out, and traps her forever in the castle."

"What happens after that?"

"We're going to have to go through the dance to find that out, aren't we?"

"Hai!"

They start off, Corn leading her into a far-off part of the clearing. She turns as he walks close to her, and the eyes meet.

The relationship progresses, and soon Kyoko is dancing as if born to do it.

The dance involves a lot of twirling, as Corn figured out that she had this joyous smile that he enjoyed seeing when spinning.

But then they get to the saddening part.

Kyoko is alone once again in the remote ends of the clearing, gesturing gracefully with a depressed expression about her heartbreak.

The evil king does not permit Corn to see his daughter, and he leaves with an angry expression with a bit of sadness in it.

He comes back, in the dead of night, and finds his way to her prison.

They are happy to see each other.

But the reunion is interrupted.

Corn falls to his knees, exhaling quickly with not enough inhaling.

The evil king is in the doorway, armed with an unloaded crossbow.

Kyoko breaks down again, and the dance is forgotten as he rushes to her side.

"...Mother's not coming back, Corn."

The burning reality has resurfaced.

He has never felt quite so nervous.

The first fight he got into. The first time up on stage. The first time out on his own.

They all seemed so insignificant as compared to this.

This had more than enough capacity to change his entire life. Not that the others had not, but this... Was glaring in its obvious future-oriented changes that would occur.

He looks again to where she sits, gazing off with a faraway look and a small smile that makes his heart warm, and takes a step towards the door.

The rush of activity inside overflow him as he threads his way through the crowd, eyes fixed on her.

Every person is wearing some rendition of a medical outfit, and there is a full-blown castle in the middle of the room.

Takarada Lory was a specimen that he had yet to figure out.

How a castle that big could be anywhere is beyond him.

On the walls is a banner that says in highly-decorated hand: "Congrats, Kyoko!"

He manages to find his way over to her and is fascinated by the beautiful dress that she is wearing, complex and flattering to an utmost level. Her long black hair flows freely across the dark purple material.

The gentle strains of music reach him, and he asks in a formal tone,

"Lady Kyoko, may I have this dance?"

She beams at him.

They mostly just sway to the music, more than content to look into each other's eyes.

Kuon can hear the last finishes to the song, and decides it's time.

His hands shake as he delves into his pocket, taking out a small box.

He opens it, and the rays of sun hit the centered gem and shine everywhere.

"Kyoko, will you marry me?" He put all of his heart and will for it to be so.

She goes into a slight shock, and then her eyebrows furrow.

"You'd better go down on one knee. It's more princess like that way."

He almost chokes on his surprise and his laughter.

The life-changing question, and she's not happy with the presentation!

Ah, Kyoko.

He never tired of her.

Going down on one knee, he repeats, even more heartfelt, if that was possible.

"Will you marry me?"

A blush raises, and then she is nodding and confirming and the ring is hard to put on with both sets of hands shaking and she is throwing her arms around him and he lifts her up and spins around.

He had never laughed so much in his life.

Kyoko again adjusted herself in the mirror, apprehensive as all get out.

"Moko-san..." She whined.

"Mo! For the last time, you look perfect! Beautiful! Gorgeous! Worthy of him!"

"...Are you sure?"

She doesn't get an answer besides a pretended frustrated sigh.

Kuon reties his tie for the hundredth time, not losing a step in his restless pacing. He again tries to go for the door, only to be held back by his father and manager.

"I want to see her!" He complains as they push him back in a chair.

Kuu shakes his head. "No, most definitely not. Bad luck, remember? And Kyoko..."

"Believes in luck. Yes, I know." He sighs, and then jumps for the door again.

"At least let me see how things are going...!"

Futile.

"No, then you won't get the cue, and everything will get all messed up. She wants this to be perfect, and that would ruin it. You're staying here, Kuon."

"She can't get married by herself."

He was just starting to pace again when a knock was heard on the forbidden door.

"It's time."

Two figures, illuminated by a single spotlight and the flash of several cameras, had every eye riveted on them. The faint whispers were all about them, saying, "A very good match," or "They're so good together."

But most were simply contented to watch the beautiful couple, so oblivious to the others and so obviously in complete infatuation.

They are perfectly in unison to each other to the slow music, golden eyes clashing with the blue in the intense loving look.

He whispers something to her, and she blushes and smiles. And then he leans in, and his lips brush hers for a chaste kiss, never breaking the melody of their linked movements.

They are dancing their wedding waltz.

Kuon's gaze lingers on his wife as she helps their one-year-old son clap along to the catchy tempo of the jazz band.

A giggle escapes from both as the hands miss in contacting. An addicting, infectious laugh that has Kuon grinning from ear to ear and wanting to tickle them both so he could hear more.

It makes him warm with inconceivable love as the father and husband to such beautiful creatures.

The song changed to a fast one, and Kyoko began to bounce their son gently to the beat. A cute laugh escaped him, and he tried to grab her to stop the motion that seemed like an earthquake to his tiny little head.

But then his wife stood up, and began swaying. As the tempo began to increase more and more, she sped up too.

In mid-step, she glances at him, catching his eye.

"Come on, and dance with us, Kuon! Don't just sit there!" She beckoned to him.

"Da-da!" Copying his mother, their son was even trying to get him up there.

"...I don't know, you two look like a handsome couple. Three's a crowd, you know."

They both begged, puppy dog eyes watering.

"Pleaseeee!"

"Pyuz!"

"No, we don't have enough partners."

"...But..."

He gently caressed Kyoko's growing tummy, in a lower tone.

"But we soon will."

A year later found them at a rock concert, namely Fuwa Sho's. The childhood friends, with much bickering and raised blood pressures, had made up awhile back. Since then, the two had been spending quite a bit of time together, in guest appearances and such. Kuon had minded initially, but then Fuwa got himself a girlfriend, a beautiful, smart business woman who took no nonsense and stole Fuwa's heart right out of him.

Kyoko looked happy. Very happy. Their little girl had just walked for the first time, when Kuon was leaving via the door. In her distress, she managed to pick herself up from the ground and stumbled over to him, clenching his dress pants tightly in her little fist.

Kuon was late to work; he was so excited about the accomplishment.

Now she spun their daughter around next to the stage, (Sho had given them good tickets, so Kyoko could sit next to his girlfriend, they had become quite attached.) as their son looked on somewhat jealously.

"Shouldn't we join them, son?"

The disappointment quickly faded from his eyes, and happiness sparkled.

"Yes!"

"Then, let's go." He said, taking his son's hand and leading him up to the stage.

Directly behind Kyoko, he leaned over her and tapped her shoulder. She whirled around, both looking startled, but then relaxing into a giggle upon seeing them.

In sync, father and son offered their hands with a bow to the ladies.

Ren spun his daughter around and around, the little girl happily exclaiming, "Fasta ochan! Fasta!"

He was lost in the thrilled expression, enthralled in the golden eyes, the same as her mother's, so much so that he did not see his direction.

He bumped into Kyoko, who fell straight into him. It had almost a domino effect, with everyone in a pile on top of Kuon. Their son, who Kyoko had let go of when falling, ran and jumped right on top, crushing Kuon even more. A sharp outtake of breath and he had the wind knocked out of him.

Sho, seeing the human pile, walked over with a barely held-in laugh at the spectacle. It just so happened his lyrics was in time with the scene.

"Baby, if you need a hand up..." Their son was off, minimizing some of the weight.

"I'm there for you."

Kyoko was helped up, with a charming look that made her stomp his foot with an angry whisper and his girlfriend give him quite the death glare.

Kuon did not envy Sho, that was for sure. If he ever messed up, he had his best friend and his strict girlfriend on his case.

Kyoko was more than enough, he had decided.

"And if you fall,

I'll pick you up

And carry you."

Kuon was now off the floor, with a whisper,

"I doubt you could carry me."

Fuwa glowered with embarrassment, but still maintained composure. He gave him a look that said he wasn't finished before resuming his spot on the stage.

A laugh was shared among the five behind him.

"Daddy, come on, why another dance?" His beautiful ten-year-old daughter looks up at him, clearly not pleased.

"I don't have too many more dances before some other man takes your hand instead, my dear."

"There's a daddy-daughter dance at my wedding, Daddy."

"That'll be when you're married! I can't wait that long!"

"I'm afraid you have to, Kuon."

"Ojii-chan!" She exclaimed, running towards the Kuu whose hair was turning a beautiful silver.

"A grandfather needs his time with his grandchildren, you know." He said with a smirk.

"So, miss, may I have this dance?"

"Of course."

He spun her right away from the astonished Kuon.

He was being seconded sooner than he thought.

Turns out, Kuon did get his daddy-daughter dance. And her eyes were so beautiful and filled with love for her new husband that he did not care it was one of their last together.

"Father! How on Earth do you tie a tie?" A male voice called from upstairs.

Kuon sighed from his seat on the patio. He had just gotten comfortable with the newspaper not two minutes ago.

"I thought I told you this, son!" He said, somewhat agitated.

"But when I tie it, it gets all messy! She won't appreciate a messy appearance tonight!"

"Now, come on, if she cared majorly whether or not your tie is correct, you chose the wrong woman for prom." Kyoko said, finishing the touches on the phenomenon that was apparently all or nothing.

"I just...Augh! I don't know! She's perfect!"

"She's not, I can assure you that. She's probably even more nervous than you are."

"You think?"

"I know."

It's Christmas Day, and the happiness and jollity have spun all around them, but have suddenly snapped straight out of their world with the arrival of white corridors and sanitization.

Kuon collapsed at the Christmas party.

Kyoko was worried. Very worried. What was going to happen?

The doctor called her in, and she could see in his eyes that the expectancy was not great.

One month was all they had left.

He left them alone, and then she allowed her eyes to drop down and water with tears.

Kuon got up slowly and walked towards her, taking her into his arms. Rocking her gently back and forth, a strange sort of comforting dance.

There was no need for words.

They broke down into tears together.

Beside a freshly-dug grave, a black-clad figure, caressed by the autumnal winds, sways back and forth in a form of a dance to a song only known to her.

A dance, for the first time, done alone.

Tears fresh down her face, she leans her head back to the sky with a sad smile.

She looks back to the stone, eyes watering once again as she begins to sob again.

'Hizuri Kuon

Wonder Actor and Excellent Companion'

She traces his name, before eyes setting with resolve; she begins to will herself to walk away.

On the stone is a note,

"Thank you for being my partner.

Together we danced through time."

I didn't like the scene at Fuwa's concert; I rewrote it five times before ending up with that. Still not happy with it.

I kind of took the theme and stretched it a little in places. You can still make the connection, right?