A/N: Dang… summer's pretty much over and this is only my second fanfic. How sad. I guess it's because I've been focusing more on my translating recently than writing. Well, even though Tsubasa seems to have gone to hell and is making itself rather comfortable there, I still enjoy a good KuroFai fanfic quite a bit. Let's see what kind of crapola my soggy old brain can churn out today.
Footsteps; someone was approaching. He could tell from the aura that it was the wizard but he wasn't going to give that guy the satisfaction of acknowledging his presence. Judging by the way Fai was moving, Kurogane could guess that he was trying to sneak up on him. Kurogane rolled his eyes; Fai may be a moron but even he ought to know better than to try to surprise a ninja. He briefly considered waiting until Fai was mere inches away and then whipping around and shouting "Boo!" at him but what would be the point in that? Kurogane wasn't interested in playing games with Fai, or with anybody else for that matter.
He was just about to turn around and ask Fai just what the bloody hell he thought he was doing with a lame ass trick like this when something metal, icy cold and wet pressed itself against the back of his neck. He started and gasped at the unexpected chill, making a blind grab behind him for that damn wizard's throat. Fai removed the cold object and sat down beside Kurogane on the wooden porch, his smooth, quiet laughter reaching Kurogane's ears and making him want to gnaw Fai's arm off at the shoulder.
"Did I surprise you, Kuropiko?" he asked smugly.
"You bastard!" Kurogane snarled. "What the hell did you just put on my neck?!"
Fai grinned and held up a can of juice. "It's pretty hot out here so I thought you might like one."
"Hmph," Kurogane replied as he took it from him, popped it open and took a swallow. Fai followed his lead, taking a drink of his own juice.
"This is a beautiful country, don't you think?" he asked dreamily. "I wish we could stay here for a while… But Kuromin would get restless here, wouldn't he?"
"Dunno what you think is so great about it," Kurogane grumbled. "We had pretty much all this stuff back in Japan."
"I'm so jealous," Fai sighed. "The country I came from was always covered in snow… there were no warm summer nights, or pretty flowers blooming, or humming insects, or tall grass. It was just a big, blank stretch of white as far as the eye could see…"
They lapsed into silence, each momentarily wrapped up in memories. Unsurprisingly, it was Fai who broke the quiet first.
"Hey, Kuropin, what do people in Japan do on nights like this?"
"What, you mean for fun?" Kurogane thought for a moment. "I guess they swim, or go walking, or tell scary stories… stuff like that."
"Ah!"
"What?"
"What's that on your hand, Kurochuu?"
Kurogane looked down at his hand, then snorted and brushed the insect away. "Looks like they have fireflies in this country, too."
"Firefly…?" Fai repeated in wonder. "Does it burn?"
"Idiot. Fireflies aren't actually on fire," Kurogane said. "They're harmless."
"Look, there are lots of them over there in that field!" Fai breathed. "They're so pretty!"
"In Japan, people catch them and put them in jars," Kurogane told him.
"Do you eat them?" Fai asked, tilting his head curiously.
"No! That's gross!"
"Why put them in jars, then?"
Kurogane shrugged. "People like looking at them, I guess."
"Come on, Kurokuro! Let's go catch some fireflies!" Fai suggested excitedly.
Kurogane stared at him. "Are you freaking serious?"
"Yeah, it sounds like fun! I wanna try it! Pleeeeeeease, Kuropuu?"
Kurogane heaved a sigh and gritted his teeth. "You're just gonna keep begging until you get your way, aren't you, you bastard?"
"Probably," Fai smirked.
The ninja growled and got reluctantly to his feet.
"Kurotaaan… I keep missing!" Fai complained.
"You're supposed to wait until they land," Kurogane said. "It's easier to catch them when they're not moving."
The ninja crouched down in the tall grass and was silent for a moment before springing on one of the fireflies. "Here, I got one."
Fai pushed his way through the foliage to join Kurogane and held out his hands eagerly.
"Hold your hands like this or it'll just fly away," Kurogane instructed, showing Fai how to cup his hands. Fai mimicked him and Kurogane shook the firefly out of his hand and into the wizard's. Kurogane allowed himself a slight smile as he watched Fai peer cautiously through his fingers at his catch and giggle with wonder.
"Wow," he breathed.
"When I was a kid, we used to pull their butts off and wear them on our fingers like rings," Kurogane recalled.
Fai looked scandalized. "That's terrible, Kuropuu! How mean!"
The warrior shrugged. "They're just bugs."
"How would you like it if someone came along and tried to pull your butt off?" Fai demanded.
"I'd probably kill the bastard," Kurogane replied menacingly. "Hey! What the hell are you doing?! Get your damn hands off my ass!"
"See, Kurowanwan doesn't like it so he shouldn't do it to the fireflies either," the blond said.
"Give me a break. I was a kid," Kurogane snapped.
Fai was no longer listening; he was bent over a blade of grass, his hands poised and ready to grab the firefly that had landed there. After a brief pause, he lunged.
"I got it, Kurorin! I got it!" the magician cheered, holding up his clasped hands.
"Big deal. It's not that difficult," the swordsman replied dismissively. "Even little kids can do it."
"Don't be mean, Kurochuu," Fai scolded lightly. "This is my first time, so I should be excited, right?"
He took one last glimpse through his fingers at the glowing insect before releasing it into the night.
"What, you done catching fireflies already?" Kurogane sneered. "After all the crap you gave me to get me to come with you?"
"I'm sorry, Kurosama. The place I come from is cold so I don't handle heat very well," Fai explained with an apologetic grin.
"Tch. What a pain…and we walked all that way…"
"What do you mean, Kuromun? The house is just across the street," the sorcerer reminded him.
"Hmph. Seemed like a lot farther, walking with you," Kurogane grumbled.
He turned in the direction of the house and began walking. Fai began to follow him but with a small gasp of surprise and a thud, he suddenly disappeared in the tall grass.
"Ouch…"
"Jeez, can't even take two steps without tripping over yourself," Kurogane growled.
"Well it's hard to see if there's anything in my way with all this grass," Fai said defensively. The swordsman offered his hand to his fallen companion to help him to his feet. Fai accepted it but made a strangled noise of pain as he was pulled upright.
"I seem to have hurt my ankle on that rock I tripped over," he observed.
"Argh…you're such a pain in the ass…" Kurogane sighed. Fai was about to ask him if he would mind helping him get back to the house when Kurogane moved forward unexpectedly.
"Kurotan, what are you-" he began but abruptly stopped as Kurogane gathered him into his muscular arms. Cradling the slender magician like a child, Kurogane began making his way back to the house. Fai looked up at him in wonder for a moment, then smiled and laid his head against Kurogane's chest. His smile just widened as he noted the way the ninja's heart was suddenly pounding.
Fai entered the bedroom wrapped in a ridiculously fluffy bathrobe, still towel-drying his damp hair and bringing with him the fresh scent of soap and shampoo. Kurogane was seated in an armchair in the corner of the room, reading a manga magazine.
"You're walking just fine now, I see," Kurogane mumbled without looking up.
"Now that I've soaked my ankle in warm water and wrapped it up, it doesn't hurt so badly," Fai said easily as he dropped his towel on the floor and climbed into bed.
Kurogane glanced at him inconspicuously over the top of his magazine, stifling a slight shiver. After sitting outside in that heat, the house's air conditioning almost seemed to be up a little too high. It was shameful to admit, even to himself, but he was kind of hoping that Fai would invite him into his bed.
Fai yawned. "I'm sleepy, Kuromyuu. Turn off the light so that we can go to bed, ok?"
"Where do you get off ordering me around, you bastard?" Kurogane snapped as he got obediently out of his chair.
The room was silent after the lights went off, aside from a slight creak as Kurogane got into his own bed.
"Does it seem cold in here to you?" he asked finally.
"Hmm… nope, it seems alright to me," Fai answered. "Why? Are you cold, Kurosama?"
"No, I just thought maybe…tch, forget it. Stupid magician," Kurogane said tartly.
There was perhaps thirty seconds more of silence before Kurogane broke it again.
"You know, it might get even colder during the night…"
"There's a thermostat right on the wall over there if it's bothering you so much, Kuropyun," Fai said.
"I already told you, I don't care!" he snapped. "Anyway, why do I have to get up?!"
"You're the one who mentioned it, Kuropiko."
"Whatever…"
The silence only lasted about twenty seconds this time before Fai spoke up again.
"You know Kurokuro, if you wanted to come snuggle with me in my bed, all you'd have to do is ask."
Kurogane blushed so furiously that he was sure he must be emitting light. "Wh-who the hell ever said I wanted that?!"
"Tee hee, Kuropuu is so shy," Fai gushed. "Come, Kurowanko."
"Who's shy?!" Kurogane snarled as he got out of bed and made his way across the room to where Fai was. "And why the hell do you have to call me like I'm some kind of freaking dog?!"
"Well, it worked, didn't it?" Fai smirked, moving over to make room for Kurogane.
Kurogane fumed as he crawled under the blankets, turned his back to the blond and folded his arms obstinately. Fai just continued to grin.
"Hey Kurochii?"
"What?" Kurogane replied much too quickly.
"I guess I am a little bit cold."
"Tch. That's what I thought," he grumbled as he pulled Fai close, slipping his arms around the slim waist.
Fai's body was pleasantly warm to the touch, just as he knew it would be. And his skin could put even the finest silk to shame. Kurogane was exercising all his willpower not to kiss him. Fai, it seemed, had no such reservations. He pulled away from the swordsman slightly so that he could press his lips softly against Kurogane's. Kurogane had never tasted anything so perfect.
"Good night, Kurochan," Fai whispered as he nestled his cheek against Kurogane's chest.
A/N: Meh, nothing special but fluff is fluff, right? You can never have too much.