Ah, the last chapter already! Thanks so much for reading everyone, and I hope you like the way it ends! : )

Eyes of China Blue

Kurogane had been kneeling in the tent at Fai's side for hours, waiting patiently for him to wake up. He didn't dare touch him or shake him or try in any other way to wake him unnaturally. The mage had been through a lot in the last couple of days and could use the rest. He'd slept fitfully at first, sweating and muttering in his sleep, but Kurogane had put a cool cloth on his head and as his fever subsided, he slept more soundly.

Fai wasn't the only tired one, though. Kurogane had found himself nodding off, even sitting upright as he was, but he didn't allow himself to sleep. He wanted to make sure Fai was okay, that nothing was wrong. He wanted to be there when he woke up.

After they had rested for a few hours last night, Syaoran and Kurogane had walked all through the morning until the sun was nearing its zenith and the kid had pleaded with Kurogane to stop. This time he'd agreed, and they made camp atop a hill with open land surrounding it; an advantage, should they need to defend themselves. Syaoran and Mokona had promised to stand guard and begged Kurogane to relax and get some sleep. Kurogane had complied so far as to set up the tent and make Fai comfortable, but he had chosen to sit up and watch over the mage instead of sleeping himself.

The hours of waiting passed quietly. Syaoran and Mokona popped their heads in every once in a while to check on Fai and report that they hadn't seen anything. Kurogane could tell that they were just as worried as he was, but they were giving him some space, and he was grateful. He had a lot to think about.

He had to consider how he'd behaved when they were rescuing Fai. He'd acted uncharacteristically rash, jumping in without a true plan. There had been plenty of risk and he hadn't had any idea how dangerous these people were before he'd decided to get himself captured. And he'd come too close to killing that man, that Kowa, for his liking. But when he'd seen Fai looking totally helpless, he'd lost control. Nothing else had mattered to him in that moment. Even now, the mage was taking precedence above all else in his thoughts.

At this point he couldn't deny how much he cared about Fai. It had been hard to get close to anyone since he'd lost both his parents as a child, and it had been even harder letting someone get close to him. But somehow, without his even realizing it, he'd done both. And maybe even more than that.

Despite all the pain that Fai had endured growing up, he was constantly smiling and laughing and teasing, hiding himself behind a falsely cheerful attitude. But Kurogane had seen, only a few times, his true smile and had heard his laugh. On those few occasions, Kurogane recalled that his heart had skipped a beat with the knowledge that he was seeing who Fai really was, and that the person underneath his usually false exterior was a sad, beautiful, gentle soul, just looking for someone to finally accept him. And he'd confessed his love to Kurogane. He'd opened himself up as much as any person could, left himself completely vulnerable for perhaps the first time in his life…and Kurogane had hurt him. A lot more than Fai had let on, too. Kurogane's chest ached at the very thought of it.

But was it too late to fix it? Could he finally be honest with himself? He thought that he could. His hand brushed against one of Fai's. I want to be part of his life. He knew it wouldn't be easy, that there would be painful times ahead, but… he also knew it would be worth it.

After a minute or so, he properly took Fai's hand in his own. It was cold and clammy, and Kurogane felt a pang of guilt and sadness as he eyed the bruise on Fai's cheek. When they had first made camp, Kurogane had dressed and cleaned Fai, checking all the while for injuries. He had discovered a gash on his leg that needed to be bandaged, and a trickle of dried blood near his hairline was evidence of at least one blow to the head, among other, similar injuries all over his body. He'd done what he could, but he was no doctor. And the thought of what might have been done to Fai suddenly filled him with an unfamiliar, bubbling, nervous panic. What if these injuries were more serious than they appeared? What if…he never woke up?

"Oh, God, please let him wake up," he muttered, squeezing the hand in his tighter. He shut his eyes and said a silent prayer, asking whatever deities that may be listening for Fai's health. Please, please, please let him be okay. Please.

Even after he had tried every prayer he knew (and a few he didn't), he found it difficult to open his eyes. By now, he was truly exhausted. He wanted to curl up next to Fai and just sleep, knowing that they'd both wake up the next day refreshed and healthy. But there were no such guarantees, and he couldn't. He was going to wait.

Eventually he forced his itching eyes back open. His vision was slightly blurred for a moment, but he blinked a couple times and focused on Fai's face. Something looked different than it had only a moment before. His cheeks had regained a little color, and his breathing seemed to have grown stronger and more regular.

Kurogane felt wide awake now. "Fai?" he breathed, finally shifting from the stance he'd held for hours. His face remained calm and controlled, but his heart was pounding in his ears as he waited.

Slowly, much too slowly, Fai began to stir. His eyes opened and they found Kurogane's face. He seemed a little disoriented. "Kurogane…?" His voice sounded cracked and hoarse, nothing like his usual self.

"Yes," Kurogane answered simply. Fai's brow relaxed and he closed his eyes again for a couple minutes. Kurogane withdrew his hand and simply waited. When Fai's eyes fluttered open again, he seemed a little more aware. He looked around the tent and then lifted himself up onto his elbows, trying to sit upright. Kurogane's hands shifted nervously in his lap, unsure whether he should help him or not, but in the end Fai did it himself.

After a moment spent resting and checking himself for injuries, Fai smiled weakly at him. "Thank you…Kuro-pu…"

Kurogane didn't let him continue his sentence. When he heard that silly nickname, he'd been unable to stop himself. He leaned forward a little, grabbed Fai, and just held him. He tried to be gentle, though he heard a sharp intake of breath from the injured mage. He knew that Fai was going to be stiff and sore, and that a hug was going to hurt him. He knew it, but he still had to do it. He had to somehow feel that he was there, that he was okay. If he was a different kind of man, he was sure that tears of exhaustion and relief would be flowing at this point.

After a moment, Fai raised his arms and returned the gesture, resting his chin on Kurogane's shoulder. They held the embrace for a long, long moment, Kurogane wishing that it could last even longer.

Eventually Fai broke the silence. "What is this, all of a sudden, Kurogane?" There was a hint of his usual teasing in his voice, weak as it was. Kurogane also couldn't help but notice the lack of a nickname this time.

As he finally released the smaller man, he realized that he was blushing. He avoided Fai's gaze and shrugged. "I'm just glad that you're okay. I was…we were all worried."

"I was too, for a while." He said it with a small smile, but Kurogane could sense there was a lot more behind it. He was hiding something. Kurogane wished Fai would stop withholding his feelings for once and just tell him what was wrong.

Kurogane offered him some water, which he eagerly accepted. He drank deeply until Kurogane suggested that he stop if he didn't want to get sick. Then they sat in silence for a minute or two, an obvious question hanging in the air, but Fai seemed to be avoiding answering it until Kurogane was forced to ask about it aloud.

"Tell me what happened, Fai."

The mage looked up at Kurogane with wide-eyed surprise for a few seconds before he began to laugh softly. Kurogane didn't like being laughed at, and his eyes narrowed. "What?"

"That's the first time I've heard you say my name," he giggled. Kurogane was going to tell him that he was wrong before he recalled that Fai had been unconscious when he'd broken into that cell, with the mage's name on his lips. And he honestly couldn't remember a single time before that when he'd said Fai's name, at least to his face. So he decided not to correct Fai as he continued laughing hysterically, and just smiled and indulged him instead. He deserved to have a laugh, at any rate.

"Yes, ever since we met…that's the first time…it sounds nice…" After a moment, his weak laugh began to sound forced. Then, without much warning, a tear ran down Fai's cheek, and his laughter began to morph into sobs.

"Fai? Are you hurt!?" Kurogane said, alarmed at this sudden shift in mood. He'd wanted Fai to open up a little bit more, but this…he didn't really know how to deal with this. Fai looked up at him with bright, tear-filled eyes.

"He was going to rape me," he whispered in a shaky voice. "He really was…and then…ki-kill…" His voice broke, and he covered his mouth with his hand, unsuccessfully trying to stifle another sob.

Kurogane reached out and pulled Fai against him once more. It was the only thing he could think to do. This time Fai curled up against him, pressing his face against Kurogane's chest and letting himself have a well-deserved cry. Kurogane kept his arms loosely, gently around him, wishing he could do more to help, but he wasn't used to the whole comforting thing. And really, what does one say in a case like this? He could only reassure him as best as he knew how.

He touched the back of Fai's head, almost, though not quite, stroking his hair. "It's all right…I didn't let them, and I never will. I'll protect you." His grip on Fai tightened ever so slightly. Gradually, the other's tears subsided and his breathing calmed, but he didn't make any attempt to leave the circle of safety within Kurogane's arms. He just shifted his head, pressing the side of his face into the space between Kurogane's neck and shoulder now. They stayed that way, silently, for a while.

"You're going to be here…to protect me?" Fai whispered a few minutes later.

"Yes."

"Forever?"

He hesitated for a second, but then repeated the answer. "…Yes."

Now Fai twisted in his arms, leaning back slightly so they could see each other's faces. "Do you mean that?" he asked quietly. But Kurogane could see another question being asked in those bright, clear, blue eyes. And as Fai looked at him that way, vulnerability and hope mingled together in his steady gaze, Kurogane couldn't help but feel that it was finally time to answer him.

He lifted a hand to Fai's face, running a thumb across one cheek where a trail from his tears still lingered. He smiled. "Yes. I love you, Fai."

Fai's eyes widened. "Kurogane…"

Kurogane cupped Fai's face with his other hand, too, and held him gently, like he was so fragile he might break at any second. His heart was pounding in a way unfamiliar to him as he asked, "Can I…?" He thought the question was obvious.

A shadow flitted across Fai's face, something that could possibly be described as fear, and he hesitated. But he met Kurogane's eyes after a minute and nodded, moving his head almost imperceptibly.

Kurogane felt Fai's grip on the material of his clothes tighten as he leant down and their lips met in a gentle, chaste kiss. At first Fai was stiff, afraid; but he seemed to soften and relax under Kurogane's touch. And a deep feeling of contentment and satisfaction filled Kurogane's aching chest, and he knew then that he had made the right choice. He really did love this man, more than he thought he'd ever love anyone.

He didn't go any further than the single kiss; from Fai's initial reaction to his question, and considering his recent experiences, Kurogane knew it would be best to leave it at that. But he was glad that Fai had allowed him to try it, to see what it felt like to kiss the one you love.

Fai lowered his head afterwards, leaning against Kurogane's chest again and holding him tightly. Kurogane pressed his lips against the blonde's forehead briefly. "I wish I could have told you the other day. Instead all I did was hurt you, and I can't tell you how sorry I am."

"It's okay." Fai sniffed, as though he might be on the verge of tears again. His voice sounded thick and it wavered as he whispered into Kurogane's neck, "Just say it again."

Kurogane smiled, blushing slightly. He swallowed and then said again, "I love you."

Fai made a content, humming noise in the back of his throat. "That sounds nice, too."

"Uh…" Kurogane raised his eyes to find a red-faced Syaoran watching them from the entrance of the tent, mouth hanging open a little. When he saw Kurogane had noticed him, he blinked, straightened up and quickly turned to leave. "Sorry! Sorry, didn't mean to-"

"Syaoran!" Fai called. He blinked back whatever tears may have been in his eyes and smiled. "It's okay, come in." He pulled himself out of Kurogane's arms and patted the empty space on the floor next to him.

Syaoran came back in and sat down shyly, avoiding looking directly at them as he asked Fai how he was feeling. He and Fai talked for a few minutes, and Syaoran grew a little more comfortable, managing to look his companions in the face after a moment. He seemed relieved to see Fai up and talking, though he maintained that he couldn't stay in the tent long. "I have to go back and stand watch, Mokona's waiting for me," he told Fai, rising as he spoke.

"I understand. Thank you, Syaoran."

Syaoran smiled. Then he looked at Kurogane and his eyebrows furrowed. "Kurogane, will you please get some sleep now?"

"I…" He sighed and smiled reluctantly. "Yes. Thanks."

"Good." Syaoran turned to exit the tent, but Kurogane stopped him.

"Hey, kid. The minute you get tired, you come wake me up and I'll take over."

"Sure." The way Syaoran said this hardly filled Kurogane with confidence.

"I mean it!" he shouted as Syaoran's boots disappeared into the darkness outside the tent. He attempted to mutter a curse but cut himself short with a sudden jaw-cracking yawn. He really was tired. He looked at Fai.

"I could use some more rest, too," the blonde admitted. And despite the fact that he'd been sleeping for nearly a day now, Kurogane believed him; he still looked pretty awful.

"Okay." Kurogane spread out on the floor of the tent, throwing a light blanket over his legs and immediately closing his eyes. He could hear Fai beside him, shifting to get comfortable and he suddenly felt the blonde snuggling up close to him, resting his head against Kurogane's shoulder. Kurogane's eyes opened and he studied the man at his side.

"Is this okay?" Fai asked, making it obvious with his eyes that 'no' would not be a good answer. Instead of replying verbally, Kurogane smiled slightly and wrapped his arm around Fai, pulling him closer against his body. He readjusted the blanket to cover them both. "Did you really not sleep this whole time?" Fai asked as he relaxed into his new position. He blew out the lantern beside them, plunging the tent into darkness.

"That's right."

"Why?"

Could Kurogane really tell him the truth? It was embarrassing to say out loud...though after some of the things he'd already said today, it wasn't any worse, was it? After a moment he cleared his throat and, said, blushing in the dark, "Because I wanted to be there when you woke up."

Fai laughed softly against Kurogane's shoulder. "You're such a softie."

"Shut up."

…

They weren't bothered in their little camp on the hillside for the next day or two, which they all spent resting and recuperating. Fai seemed to be recovering from his ordeal, though he slept a lot and hardly left the tent; he wasn't eating much, either. Kurogane was concerned, but he hadn't been expecting anything different. He did what he could to help him, even it was just to sit quietly by his side or be a strong shoulder to lean on.

But as nice as it was to spend that much time alone with Fai, Kurogane couldn't shake a constant feeling of unease as long as they were in this world. He always worried about Fai, hardly letting him out of his sight. And Fai seemed equally clingy, and anxious to move on. But they had to wait until the jewel on Mokona's head glowed, which they were expecting could be any moment now.

At this particular moment, Kurogane and Fai were spending a quiet afternoon outside the tent, getting some fresh air as they sat under a tree near the edge of their encampment. Fai had been dozing on and off for an hour or so, curled up against Kurogane's side. Kurogane himself was just watching the surrounding area with eyes that didn't miss a single flicker of motion. He wasn't expecting to be bothered by the villagers at this point, but he was always cautious. However, despite his apparent focus on his surroundings, his mind was racing in a completely different direction.

He'd been thinking about the future, a scary idea if there ever was one. He and Fai had been happy together these last few days, but would they really be able to keep it up? And if so, where? They'd been traveling for so long that Kurogane had nearly forgotten what it was like to live settled down, but in his heart, he had always intended to return to Nihon. Is that what Fai wanted, though? What would all the people from his old life think? Was he even…good enough to be the one Fai spent the rest of his life with? The minutes slipped away as these thoughts filled his mind and a churning sensation in his stomach left him unsettled.

After a while Fai stirred from his sleep. As he awoke and stretched, he gave Kurogane a little peck on the cheek. "Good morning."

"Hardly. You've slept the day away."

"Hm? Oh, you're right!" He laughed. "Good afternoon. Have I missed anything?"

"Not really," he answered, uninterested in the small talk. He still felt uneasy.

Fai hugged Kurogane's arm. "Then why do you seem so distracted?"

"It's nothing."

"It's not nothing. Something's wrong, what is it?"

"Just forget about it."

"Come on, Kuro-pi," he whined, pulling on his arm.

"Alright!" Kurogane turned and looked Fai in the eye. "If we ever make it back to Nihon," he said without preamble. "And I decided to stay, what would you do?"

Kurogane expected Fai to take some time to think before he answered. It was a serious question. But he met Kurogane's red eyes with his beautiful blue ones; they held a softness, a tenderness, that couldn't accurately be put into words; and he gave his answer without hesitation, "I would stay with you."

Kurogane blinked. "You don't think you'd ever regret it?"

"No. I love you. I want to be by your side forever, no matter where we are, if you'll have me." His direct answers threw Kurogane a little off guard.

"I…of course I'll have you," he muttered eventually, feeling flustered. He wasn't very good at these little sentimental moments that seemed to be expected from him lately. It felt more natural to show his feelings through his actions, with a gentle kiss, like he did now.

"Good," Fai sighed contentedly. He slid down until his head rested on Kurogane's lap, stretching his body out on the grass. He lazily picked a small white flower and began playing with it, twisting the stem and plucking the petals, letting them fall on his chest. They talked for a few more minutes about things of less consequence; about the bird sitting in the tree above them, the gentle breeze playing across their faces, what they were going to eat for dinner. Then their conversation was interrupted by an excited shout.

"Kurogane, Fai!" Syaoran rounded the tree, out of breath, a huge grin on his face. "It's-"

"It's time to go!" Mokona said, cutting him off. Kurogane's eyes were drawn to the jewel on its head and saw that it was true, it was finally glowing.

His heart leapt up to his throat and he looked down at Fai, who was staring at Mokona as though his gaze alone was lighting up the jewel that allowed them to leave. There was a hint of desperation that had been held just below the surface for days and was finally revealing itself.

"Thank God," Kurogane heard Fai whisper. There was a look of pure relief on his face, the muscles finally completely relaxing. Kurogane knew that he hadn't been the only one who'd been anxious and strained the last few days. It could only have been worse for Fai. He took one of Fai's hands in his own and gave it a squeeze as they stood. Fai smiled at him, and it looked more natural than any other he'd given lately. "We can finally move on."

"Are you ready?"

"Absolutely."

They walked to stand with Syaoran and Mokona, still holding hands. Syaoran's eyes were drawn to their intertwined fingers for a moment before he looked away, blushing slightly. He still wasn't entirely used to the idea of their relationship, but he was adjusting.

"It's sad that even after we leave, this world is still going to hate magic," Fai said as he took his place between Kurogane and Syaoran, behind Mokona.

Syaoran's eye gleamed as he turned to look at Fai. He was smiling. "I wouldn't be so sure. Apparently, Watanuki has been watching that village after left, and he told me about it today. That woman who let us go has been talking to some other people, and they've begun questioning Kowa's methods. Turns out he wasn't telling them everything he was doing and they're not happy about it."

"Really!?"

Syaoran nodded. "It doesn't mean that all the problems here will be solved, but we might have made them aware of what was going on. Things might change."

Fai closed his eyes, and let out a relieved breath of air. "I'm glad," he said. Kurogane slipped his arm around Fai's waist, pulling him up against his side. Mokona smiled up at them both.

"Let's go," it said, earning nods and words of agreement from all three of its human companions.

Mokona spread its great wings and Kurogane felt his feet leave the ground once again as they traveled through the dimensions. The only thing he knew was real was Fai's side pressed flush against his own. After a few seconds experiencing the nothingness of that nowhere-space, solid ground began to materialize underfoot once again.

This world was brightly lit, and Kurogane had to squint as he looked around and tried to gain his bearings. They were in a desert world, not far from a city. They would be able to walk there in a matter of hours. Syaoran would be happy. Then, as his eyes adjusted to the light and he looked everything over a second time, his heart nearly stopped as he began to recognize their surroundings.

His eyes widened and he turned to face Syaoran, who had already realized where they were the instant they'd landed. His eyes were bright and he could only smile broadly at Kurogane and Fai.

"Clow Country."

Well, I didn't mind Syaoran x Sakura as a pairing, so I'll leave it at that. ; )

Also: did I make up that whole bit about Kurogane never saying Fai's name? If you can prove me wrong, then please do; maybe it was simply the translation I read. xD But I couldn't remember ever reading Kurogane use Fai's name (or anyone else's, for that matter) and I couldn't get over it, so I had to include it!

So, all that being said, what did you guys think? This was literally months in the making, though the vast majority of it was written in a mad dash spanning about two weeks, I think. XD Please leave reviews, tell me your thoughts!

And for anyone that never figured it out or just wanted to know, the song was 'Vincent' by Don McLean. Love that song!