CODEPENDENCE

DISCLAIMER: Hey. Let's make a copy-and-paste thing here. Okay, so, CLAMP and its works are not mine. They belong to, uh, CLAMP. WISH, Holic, Tokyo Babylon, X, Tsubasa, RG Veda, Kobato, Cardcaptor Sakura, Drug & Drop, Chobits, and every other story I have not mentioned here but that I might use are not mine, but CLAMP's. Also, the characters are also CLAMP's property. What I do own is this series of drabbles I've been writing from different CLAMP works, that are not really related. I have no monetary interest with any of this, of course, but, now, if you'd like to leave me comments, I'd be incredibly happy… (Sorry, sorry. Thought it was a good opening)

. . .

You were incredibly annoying.

Yes, you said the same to me, and I never told you so; I only smiled and taunted you with fake happiness, but you were the most annoying person in all worlds ever. Annoying, for seeing me for what I was, seeing through my lies, my smiles, my fakeness — and for forcing me to the truth.

Annoying, because you ended up closer than I ever allowed you to, because I never wanted you were, I never wanted to care about you.

It all started with nicknames, I'd guess — stupid, unnecessary, ridiculous nicknames. They were little more than tests; I never had much company, and I had no duty to you: you were the perfect study object.

Except, of course, that you never helped.

I gave you nicknames, and you reacted, and I just didn't know how to react to that. No, I couldn't stop suddenly, could I? No. So I forced another smile, made up an even worse nickname, and tried to force you to stop, force you to back away.

I should have known that wouldn't work. My plans never worked on you.

It all began as a test; it then grew into a distraction. You were so weird. You ended up… entertaining me. Like… like a toy.

No — not a toy.

A dog.

A cute, adorable, barking but loyal dog. With all of its fangs showing, growling loudly, but sweet and delicate when with family.

You were…

More than I expected. More than you should have been.

It was impossible not to fall in love with you. It was destiny. We were souls fated to meet, without any command interfering. It was something unexpected, and rightly so fated.

Of course, it was by this point that I decided to cut you out of my life. My life, to save the Princess — maybe so, then, Fai would come back to life, since I would have held my end of bargain, would have fulfilled my duty, without ever being forced to betray any of you. None of you that, unexpectedly, stupidly, became… family.

Mokona, Sakura, Syaoran — and even you, Kurogane.

Stupid, ridiculous, martyr Kurogane. Sacrificing yourself to save me. Save the one you had always known to be lying, always known to be a threat.

Sacrificing your freedom, your blood, your future to bond me to you.

I couldn't forgive you, I couldn't let that happen, I couldn't — fall in love.

Except, of course, it was already too late for that.