So, everyone. Here goes. The last chapter So here we go everyone!! Please review… last chance to tell me what you all think!!

Iku-chan

Fai felt a cherry blossom fall onto his face. He stood up from where he was laying and looked around. The air around him smelled of flowers. Fai blinked and turned around. There was Kurogane, rubbing his forehead and looking around at his home. It was beautiful, the houses all lined up, the main palace a castle among ruins. There were Sakura all around, and it was quiet. It was wonderfully quiet.

"Let's go," said Kurogane.

And they faced their new life together.

"This is where you will be staying, Fai-san," said Tomoyo, motioning to the door on her left.

They had only met briefly, in the dining hall when they all had dinner in the main banquet hall. Tomoyo was polite and pretty, and everything Fai would have expected her to be. She and Kurogane had some sort of bond. They were like siblings, big brother and little sister, but they had something else too. But Fai couldn't feel jealous. They were housing him, feeding him, keeping him safe.

"Thank you, Tomoyo-san," said Fai, smiling, bowing in the new shirt and pants that Tomoyo had given.

She began to tell him where the bathroom, Kurogane's room (which was right next to Fai's), and everything else was, but Fai wasn't paying attention. Was he really supposed to live like this? Was he supposed to be safe forever, with Kurogane and never to worry about danger anymore? That couldn't be true. Fai never knew a life without danger, without hurt, without death.

"Fai-san?"

Fai turned. "S-sorry, Tomoyo-san," he said, smiling.

"You know, you're very pretty," said Tomoyo, smiling back at him, putting her hands together. "You should dress up more often. I can make you more clothes."

There was a glint in her eyes. Fai studied her more closely. She was wearing a pink kimono, her hands pale and unblemished, her hair tied up neatly in a bun. She had pitch black hair and dark eyes, and her face was pretty. Kurogane could see why he liked her. But Kurogane was up in the dojo, practicing.

"Maybe," said Fai. "My room's right here?" he motioned to the room to his left.

Tomoyo nodded. "Sleep well," she said, waving and walking down the hall to her own room, which was guarded by several stern men.

Fai pulled open the sliding door and looked around. There was a bed, a bedside table, a bathroom in the corner, and a huge window on the west side. He could only see the Sakura trees faintly in the dark, and he slipped of his shirt, sliding under the covers. He surrendered himself to sleep almost instantly, the last things he heard or thought was the chime of the clock in the hallway.

"Fai, I love you, you know that, right?" asked Yuui, staring into his twin's eyes. His tone was urgent as he held onto Fai's thin shoulders with shaking hands

Fai's eyes were filled with confusion. "Yes. Why are you telling me?"

"Because…."

He trailed off. Fai didn't know the real reason. He didn't know the reason why Yuui was telling him this now. They were the same, in every way. But Yuui knew something that Fai didn't. Something that would tear them apart forever.

"I love you too, Yuui," said Fai, wrapping his arms tightly around his brother's neck and feeling identical arms hold him around the stomach, only because it seemed appropriate to do so.

Yuui buried his face in Fai's neck so he wouldn't see.

Fai didn't notice it, but Yuui was crying.

Angst… (Sniffs)

"Yuui Don't leave me!" yelled Fai, trying to reach out to touch his brother's hands desperately.

"I-It's only for a little while Fai," lied Yuui, struggling against the guard's firm hold under his arms, trying to be the elder one, trying to comfort his little brother.

Their clothes were both tattered and their hair was matted to their foreheads with sweat. They looked about ten or so, but you couldn't tell with their faces. They were innocent faces, the faces of children. They were absolutely identical, even their voices. One could imagine they were thinking the same thing as they were torn apart from each other.

"Yuui!" Fai cried as Yuui's head smashed into the wall and he grimaced in pain.

Blood flew from his head and stained his hair. It was a strawberry color. Such a pretty color. Such an… innocent color, the color of blood. As they were pulled apart, their identical arms reaching out desperately for each other, all Fai was thinking of was his brother. All his thoughts were of his mirror as he was dragged up the stairs. They didn't care what the twins thought, because to them the twins were less than human. They didn't care what these children felt… pain or happiness or otherwise.

Fai remembered he used to pray. Early, when he hadn't lost his hope completely. He prayed for a lot of things. He prayed for Yuui. He prayed for himself. He prayed that they would be let out of this place. He prayed that he would be loved.

He was such a selfish child.

As he was thrown against the tower's walls, the skin of his arms being broken, he clenched his teeth. But that was all he could do. Cry, clench his teeth, and hope he could get through it all. He curled himself up, trying to fight of his tears. He could hear Yuui's screaming beneath the tower, but it was faint.

"Don't leave me," he whispered just to himself, pressing his small hands on the cold stone wall, listening to his brother's screams with widened, dead, blue eyes. "I love you, please don't leave me…."

Fai's eyes opened wide as he awoke.

"A-A nightmare…" He assured himself, breathing heavily. But his face was still stained with tears. "J-just… memories…" But still he could see his brother's face clearly in his mind, trying to reach out to him, his eyes sad and ghost-like as if it just had happened all over again.

He was sweating and his hair was matted to his head. He threw off his covers and walked over to the bathroom door, running a long fingered hand through his golden blonde hair. He splashed water over his face and looked at himself in the mirror. He had color in his face. It was warm to the touch. His eyes were lively and bright, even if he was scared.

He was scared of his memories. He was scared of himself. Scared of the person that had let everyone down. He was scared of himself, the person that couldn't save his brother, Chii, Ashura, everyone, from dying. The selfish person who never, ever, would be normal. Who would always need someone else in order to live.

Fai looked down at his bare chest, his eyes drifting onto the pale skin. His eyes widened. The scars… they were fading. Faintly, but still, they were healing. Fai bit his lip as he walked out the bathroom, turning of the light. Perhaps it was because Ashura was dead. Perhaps it was because he was safe. Whatever. It didn't matter. All that mattered was that he was healing.

He slipped on his white shirt Tomoyo had given him, buttoning it up, closing his eyes and muttering to himself.

"Oi,"

Fai turned around. There was Kurogane, a glass of water in his hand, his hair tousled like he just got out of bed, his white kimono hung over him loosely. Fai smiled lightly.

"Why are you up?" Fai asked.

"Couldn't sleep,"

Fai felt something rise up in his throat as he saw how Kurogane was looking at him. No, no, no, no, no… He moaned in his head as he tried to smile once again, but it came out as a grimace of pain. He looked at him… like Yuui looked at him. He looked at him with care.

Even though… even though he was nothing at all like Yuui, he resembled him most. He cared for Fai, just like Yuui did, he stuck by his side, and he even kissed him without flinching. Without closing his eyes. Without hurting him and leaving him. But despite it all, Fai didn't understand. Fai didn't understand why Kurogane liked him so much.

Anyone reasonably sane would have left him already.

"Fai, you okay?" asked Kurogane, putting a tan hand on Fai's shoulder.

Fai blinked, looking up. Kurogane was surprisingly close. Fai shook his head and leaned his face on Kurogane's chest. Kurogane froze for a second but kept his hand on Fai's back. Fai was shaking as his hands tightened on the sleeves of Kurogane's kimono. His head was burning on Kurogane's chest.

"Don't leave me," he said quietly.

"I'm not gonna leave you-"

"No, you don't understand," said Fai, looking up at Kurogane angrily. "You're leaving me already. Don't…"

Fai suddenly collapsed in Kurogane's arms, his eyes fluttering closed. Kurogane slammed his water down on the bedside table and pulled Fai to his feet. Fai's eyes opened and Kurogane put a hand on his forehead. It was flaming.

"God, you're burning up," said Kurogane, holding Fai up under the arms.

"S-Sorry," said Fai, forced.

"Wait here," said Kurogane, setting Fai down on his bed as he briskly walked out of the room.

Fai flopped himself down on the bed, putting a hand on his forehead. Wow, he really was burning up. Fai pulled the covers up to his neck and pressed his lips together. He turned over, his blue eyes closing. As he felt Kurogane press the ice pack to his burning forehead he lifted his arms and wrapped his arms around Kurogane's neck.

"Are you sure you're okay?" asked Kurogane, trying to keep the ice pack on Fai's forehead.

Fai nodded. Kurogane hugged him back, hesitantly but defiantly, and Fai buried his fingers in his hair, smelling his neck, content for the while.

It would never be okay. But they would heal eventually. Because, after it all, what else you could do but try as best as you can to heal?

So that's it. The end. But… (Dramatic pause) YOU CAN STILL READ MY STUFF AT FICTIONPRESS!!! Just go to and search sakiikumi (my pen name) or search the story title 'paint' with the author sakiikumi. If you review I'll be really happy!

Thank you SOOO much to all that reviewed!! Oh yeah, gomensai To all the PMs I didn't answer!! I was grounded!! (That's why this one's out soooo late…) And sorry, -Phantom-angel, I didn't give you my age, but I gave you the ballpark range.

But anyway… thank you everyone. And yeah, I'm not even in high school yet. I'm thirteen. Hope to see you all again!