A/N: Eeps! I'm very late posting this one, aren't I? Umm, if it's an excuse, I got very bad writer's block while writing the angsty-Fai parts and I had to hear Coldplay's "Viva La Vida" on repeat to get me out of the depressed funk Fai's angst session gave me XD (don't ask me why Viva la Vida got me out of the funk, I'm not quite sure myself :P) But I wrote a reeeeaallly long oneshot this time, so I hope you guys like! And I really applaud those who can get over 5,000 words for their oneshots/chapters because it's really tiring :D

Tsubasa: RESERVoir CHRoNiCLE

Lefty

Fai first noticed it in Outo, after another one of his and Kurogane's "arguments." The poor food had felt the brunt of Kurogane's misplaced anger, and now the ninja sat sulkily, writing down the ingredients that needed to be replaced as Fai cheerfully twittered about, telling the other man what needed to be bought.

"And lastly, we need some more flour, eggs, and…chocolate. Lots of chocolate. Got that, Kuro-tan?" Kurogane growled at the blond peering down at the list, leaning down from his position behind Kurogane to take a better look at the foreign language. "Hyuu! Kuro-wanko's language is so much different from mine. I don't even know if you wrote what I said." Fai easily dodged the swipe from Kurogane and watches from the side as the taller man hastily writes down the last items when the mage sees another unusual trait of his. "Ne, Kuro-sama. Does everyone in your country write with their left hand?"

Kurogane paused writing for a moment, frowning at the pointless question before resuming his actions. "No, most people in Nihon are right-handed. I don't know anyone who writes with their left hand." Those red eyes glance up to look at Fai. "Why did you ask?"

Fai did not respond for awhile, staring at the tanned, calloused hand holding the pen distantly. Kurogane barely had the chance to become worried when the blond shook out of the trance and grinned beatifically. "Hmm? Oh, no reason. Hyuu! That means Kuro-tan's weird! Weird Kuro-tan! Weird Kuro-tan!" The smaller man proceeded to dance around the enraged ninja, clapping enthusiastically until something soft and creamy hit him. Fai wiped the white cream out of his eyes to stare at the smirking man holding a bowl of the creamy substance. The blond licked some of the cream off his finger, enjoying the sweet concoction before scolding the other man lightly. "Now Kuro-rin has to add whipped cream to the list! Bad doggy! We had just bought that!"

The ninja sighed and wrote on the paper again before standing up and walking towards the door. "Whatever. We have enough money." He closed the door behind him, leaving a whipped-cream covered magician behind. Fai smiled and hummed softly as he crossed the kitchen over to the sink, washing his face thoroughly. He turned off the water and his hands clutched at the counter. The paler man's face was still dripping wet, and his bangs were hiding his blue eyes, but that smile was still present, never wavering. Fai laughed to himself.

"But really, Kuro-puu…left-handed people…are really unusual. Abnormal. Different. Weird. Bad. I wonder why you're one." He raised his head, smiling at the wall. "You're one of the best people I've ever met."

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Fai sees this slight left hand dominance again when Kurogane fights. Not that, of course, the ninja isn't capable of using his right hand in combat. The man is quite ambidextrous in that sense, but Fai can't help but pay attention to the times when Kurogane fights with his writing hand. He doesn't know why, but the blond feels something ominous about that arm, and Fai is pretty sure he is the cause of that. But the magician isn't surprised about his involvement in something bad; after all, he is an unlucky man, a cursed man.

So Fai just smiles and glances at the hand holding the sword's casing that is tipping his face up in Outo. His eyes flicker back to the frowning man's face, relieved at the lack of injuries on any part of Kurogane's body, never mind the left arm. The blond smiles while Kurogane slashes people with his sword, grinning at the chance to be in his element in Yamano. The archer occasionally brings his bow up to hit people in Kurogane's blind spots and notices a cut on Kurogane's left hand, but dismisses it without another thought. Compared to the cuts and gashes on Fai's own body, the ninja's cut was a mere scratch. Besides, Fai's luck is enough to bring about catastrophes.

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Kurogane writes again in Yamano, but this time it is in hopes of teaching Fai how to write in his language instead grocery shopping. The blond is an adept learner and almost understands the ninja's language, but stays silent in front of the soldiers to reduce the attention already directed at Kurogane and him. But writing seems to be a whole different concept to the mage, and the ninja grits his teeth in frustration at Fai's difficulty. He slowly writes out the character, elaborating every line and curve. Fai almost forgets to stop staring at Kurogane's intent face and studies the character well before taking the dried charcoal from Kurogane's left hand into his right hand. The paler man copies every movement that the ninja had made but the result is wobbly and unclear. Kurogane groans and Fai laughs and scratches his head. "Too hard," he says in a heavily accented voice, and the taller man sighs and waves his hand.

"Get up," he said slowly. "Time for lunch." Fai nodded in understanding and stood up, dusting off any excess dirt on his armor. Kurogane gathered the piece of paper and charcoal and the two men walked over to their tent to put all of their belongings down before heading over to the main ground. The blond paused for a moment, tugging at Kurogane's armor. "Kuro-sama."

"What?" he asked, looking down at his now black-eyed companion.

Fai pointed to himself. "Good writing?"

Kurogane understood the gist of Fai's comment and shook his head. "No." He suddenly glared at the smaller man. "But you will get better." The mage just smiled and hummed in acquiescence.

That night, Fai slipped out of the tent he and Kurogane shared, pausing only to take the paper and charcoal and to stare at the ninja's sleeping form turned away from him. The blond smiled softly and stepped outside before whispering "Good night" in Kurogane's language, hoping the other man didn't hear him. He walked over to the tree far away from camp where Kurogane teaches Fai how to write. The mage sat down, leaning against the tree and placed the paper on his lap, the luminous moon throwing the print on the parchment into relief. Fai examined the characters carefully and remembered Kurogane's motions to form the characters and copied one slowly. This time, the result was nearly perfect, almost identical to Kurogane's example. Fai smiled dimly and wrote out the other characters, writing them flawlessly and in quick succession. The once blue-eyed man stared at his writing in silence before glancing at the charcoal held in his left hand and laughing bitterly.

"I told you, Kuro-sama, that left handed people are bad luck. It's better if you don't know another one." Fai spoke quietly in his language, gazing at the moon, dreaming of a time where no time passed, and a moon not unlike this one stayed illuminated forever without fail. "You've had enough tragedies in your life, I'm sure." And with that, the man stood up to return to the tent, wearing his best smiling façade in case a wandering soldier or an awakened Kurogane notices him. To his relief, none pass his way and Fai quietly settles on the bed, eyes fluttering closed to reveal a world with a boy whose face was identical to his, with a king whose kindness knew no bounds, and with a ninja whose penetrating red eyes bore right through him.

The next day arrives, and Fai skips over to Kurogane, holding the piece of paper and pointing to it, a relaxed grin on his face. "I practiced!" he says, and the ninja looks in amazement to see the legibly written characters in Fai's handwriting. The broader man stares at the blond with eyes narrowed in suspicion, and Fai just tilts his head and smiles. Because Kurogane knows something isn't right when the mage writes poorly with him watching but returns the next day with nearly perfect writing. But the archer just smiles and the swordsman just sighs because he can't remove that mask just yet and Fai knows it.

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The left hand is hurt again in Piffle, and Fai worries much more even though the wound isn't much worse than the one in Yamano. Things other than the ability to communicate have changed since then, and the fact that the injury is bad enough for Kurogane to hide it in front of the children is worrisome. Fai pretends not to care that he is holding the ninja's hand while walking with him, but he could not deny the urge to never let go of Kurogane, to always hold his hand. And that is when he lets go after they reach the doctor, because the mage cannot comprehend of a way this fairytale could ever have a happily ever after, and he couldn't be so selfish as to keeping Kurogane tied to him. So he just chides the red-eyed man into taking care of himself with a detached yet concerned smile on his face, because Kurogane and Fai could never have a happy ending together, but Kurogane could have his with another person more suited for him.

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Lecourt Country was a good country for Kurogane, not only because he wasn't hurt seriously, but also because his relationship with Syaoran (our son, Fai thinks just a little wistfully) became stronger, even if the ninja is starting to figure out the emptiness in the boy's heart. But Fai never wants to go back; the world was too... nostalgic. The magic that swirled around him, the books that taught vast arrays of magic, and the overall happiness of the people that surrounded him broke his heart a little more. That is why he blames the country for his use of magic to escape the world. The magic that flowed around him also flowed in his veins, begging for something, anything to release its power on. And he released the magic in the form of a whistle, protecting him and the others, but only because he cannot die, not because he became attached.

But he knows he will hear this from Kurogane, because the swordsman is too observant and suspicious for his own good. So when they entered the country of acid rain, the mage busied himself by talking to Syaroan and looking around at the country instead of getting into a conversation with the ninja. Tokyo was a sad country, Fai thought, so he couldn't help but be glad that Sakura stayed asleep, be worried for Syaoran's injuries and fever, and be alarmed when Kurogane slammed back into the wall, thrown back by the mysterious boy.

The paler man tries so hard to stay apathetic and aloof when those piercing red eyes bore into his without any mercy, seeing through his smile, seeing through his façade like it was a piece of glass. And when he tries to make idle talk with the broader man and he refuses to reply, Fai gives up, because he just needs to hear that man talk, to hear his gruff voice say something so the blond knows he's not alone right now. Kurogane asks just one question, a simple question that Fai tries to dodge, but the ninja refuses to be silenced now, his eyes never leaving the blue-eyed man's face. The other man reveals his insight on Fai that is a bit too accurate and says things that hit a little too hard on home. The mask is slipping, the mage feels it sliding off, and fears Kurogane saw what was underneath for a moment, that he saw the hideous mess that lies beneath.

Which was why the others from this country couldn't have entered at a more opportune moment, and Fai composes himself behind his bangs, feeling the other man's unwavering gaze still upon him, and turns around smiling. He feels, rather than hears, the ninja rising from the ground and Fai feels almost relaxed, believing Kurogane stood to go talk with the others.

However, he feels that hand, that left hand, grab him and the blond could not have been more surprised at the grasping of his arm, wondering if this truly is the first time Kurogane willingly made contact with him without anger or rage. The swordsman touched him, and Fai can't feel nor hear his heartbeat, and he feels the fragile mask he made the moment before cracking severely. The mage has to be let go, he has to be distant, he has to be unattached, so he proclaims pain at the painfully comforting hold his arm, but Kurogane isn't fooled. He is never fooled. And when Fai is almost at the breaking point, he plainly tells the red-eyed man to not worry about him, the smile on his face feeling too desperate for his liking. But he feels that hand tighten and he hears that voice stating that the ninja just doesn't care about his past before Kurogane roughly lets go.

Fai is somewhat glad that his overall astonishment overrode his façade's disintegration and wonders why he isn't happy the other man let go. But he knows it is because Kurogane's sentiment still lingers heavily over him, and as he slides down the wall, he feels his arm tingling slightly, as though the broader man's words still cling onto where he held the mage. He cares, Kurogane cares, and that is the worst feeling Fai has, because it means he's attached, and the blond fears that Fai himself is also attached. No! It can't happen, Kurogane, no, he can't, he can't…

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Kurogane does not maintain a serious injury in his left hand in Tokyo. Rather, he purposefully let his right hand become sliced open by a vampire, whose blood mixed with his allowed Fai to live. The blond understands his own mistakes, he understands his misdeeds, and will work to fix them. Kurogane is his name, and Fai will use it from now on. Kurogane is merely traveling with him, and therefore he is not anything of importance to the mage. Fai knows Kurogane is intelligent enough to know what he is doing, but he hopes the ninja also understands to comply with his actions, because the blond is doing this for the other man's own good. Kurogane will not care for him nor will the swordsman hate him; to hate is too strong an emotion, and Fai does not want Kurogane to feel anything for him. All the red-eyed man will feel is a sense of civility between him and Fai, a form of acknowledgement. The blue-eyed magician knows that anything more or less would be too dangerous for both of them, and while Fai does not -cannot- care about the taller man's well being now, he must keep himself alive so he can fulfill his wish and bring Fai back to life. This is his main goal, and nothing will distract him from his goal; especially not the man with the piercing red eyes.

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Fai prepares to leave the house, planning to go buy the necessary food supplies for the others. He writes jagged lines and sharp curves that only he understands as Celes's language on a piece of paper so as not to forget any items. The upcoming team they will be fighting in the chess match has a reputation of defeating their opponents in their residence, so Kurogane will stay with the children in case anything happens. And if Fai meets them on the streets…well, with vampire's blood running through his veins, he supposes with a grim smile that there won't be much competition as to who will come out the winner.

The vampire hears the footsteps of an all too familiar man nearing, and Fai curses inwardly at his luck, quickly switching the pen over to his right hand. He resumes writing, albeit a bit slower than usual, with the letters looking more crooked and messy. Never had the blond been more glad about Kurogane's inability to read and understand his language, sighing internally in relief and feeling positive that the ninja won't see his mistakes on the paper.

"I will be going out to buy the food shortly," he said blankly, not turning to make eye contact with the dark-haired man. "Look after the children."

Kurogane grunted, although Fai wasn't quite sure if it was in acknowledgement or annoyance. The other man walked up to the magician, looking over Fai's head at the paper. The blond felt a strange sense of role reversal from the time in Outo where Fai had first realized Kurogane was left-handed. The one-eyed man sighed and glanced up at the towering man. "Is there something wrong, Kurogane?"

Kurogane narrows his eyes but replies calmly. "You're writing slowly." Fai arched up an eyebrow in question, and the ninja's eyes flicker towards the hand holding the pen before returning to stare at the sole blue eye. "Write with your left hand." Fai froze. "That's how you wrote in Yamano, wasn't it?"

So he knew. He had known for a long time. Fai lowered his head, staring at the list, which was written terribly, as terrible as he was. His right hand shook slightly, and the flimsy pen suddenly broke at the extra pressure placed on it. The blond looked at the broken pen in mild surprise before looking away in shame, remembering the extra strength he had recently acquired. The smaller man stood up abruptly, knocking the chair over and causing Kurogane to step back quickly, not looking the least bit surprised at the mage's erratic movements. Fai took the paper and pen and tore the paper unevenly, the ripped edges displeasing the man and causing him to rip it into smaller and even less perfect pieces. Kurogane grabbed the vampire's arm, and Fai stopped, refusing to look at the ninja and yanking his arm out of the other man's grasp, throwing the torn paper and broken pen in the trash. "I don't need a list," he murmured distractedly, walking out of the room hurriedly. Kurogane watched him pass wordlessly, hearing the faint click of the door closing before walking away to find a bottle of sake.

That night, Fai returns with food and five bottles of sake, which he keeps refrigerated. After Syaoran, Sakura, and Mokona go to sleep and Kurogane retreats to his room with a bottle of the alcohol, Fai falls back on the couch with the remaining four bottles. He drinks and drinks and drinks, but it is not blood and the sake isn't enough. The blond feels the dull pain bubbling up and spreading through his body, only diminished momentarily by the intake of alcohol. And when he finally curls up into a ball, hiding his head in his arms that wrapped around his knees, the pale man looks too small and fragile, especially when his whole body shakes from suppressed emotion, as though silent sobs rack his body. A figure in the shadows watches the stricken man and averts his eyes once the mage breaks down, turning around and walking back to his room, a half-empty sake bottle in hand.

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Fai cannot remember, nor does he want to remember, all the instances where Kurogane took out his blade and slashed himself on his left wrist, giving blood to one who needs but does not want. But the one time he remembers too vividly was when the ninja's left hand was covered in blood that was not his own, but actually of the blond's and the princess's blood. Because at that moment, Fai was holding a sword over his head, not understanding how and why this had happened, especially to the one person he became attached to in this country of games. How nice, how easy it would be to bring this sword down to his neck and cut swiftly, knowing no one could miss him after stabbing a girl so sweet, so kind, and so heartbreakingly loving that she dismissed his flaws and sins to comfort him instead of mourning the loss of her innocence and her love. And he would have, Fai swears he would have just let everything end if that man hadn't grabbed the mage's blood-spattered hand with his own and ordered him no to harm anyone else, including himself, especially himself. When Fai looks up at the ninja in despair, he sees those red eyes glimmer slightly with tears and oh no-

-He was the cause of those unshed tears, wasn't he?

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They were going to Celes. The witch had said it, after all; the price to never return was too high, and therefore he must travel with the others. Going back was inevitable, or as Yuuko would say, hitsuzen. But that didn't mean Fai was ready to go back home, not at all. He knew Ashura-ou was awake and awaiting his return, he knew Sakura-chan was in the world of Celes, most likely in the hands of his king, and he knew best of all that Fai would be there, waiting to this moment for the ability to live again, an ability which he himself ripped out heartlessly.

The blond also knew he would most likely not come out alive this time, and he can't deceive himself into thinking nothing of the others' well-being, because Fai will not let Syaoran, Sakura, Mokona, or Kurogane die along with him no matter what. And for once, since the days of Tokyo, the mage allows himself to think fondly of the ninja, even if Kurogane will never feel his affection again. All the better, though, so he can leave with no strings attached, no feelings attached. But for the sake of the children, for the sake of Syaoran-kun and Sakura-chan, Kurogane must live to protect them, and Fai lets himself show one last act of kindness to the swordsman. He hopes the left arm is protected by the magic that now settles there, Fai's magic that enables the other man to draw his sword without depending on Mokona.

So when Kurogane looks questioningly at the blond's sudden urge to perform magic, Fai actually smiles, albeit thinly, at the taller man and replies without cold indifference or spite in his voice but says his name properly to remind himself of the boundaries he formed. Those red eyes flash for an infinitesimal second in disappointment at the utterance of his name from Fai's mouth, and it tugs at his heartstrings to know Kurogane missed the silly nicknames, the teasing and the cajoling. But he cannot help the man anymore, if he had even helped at all. Fai paid the price to get the others to a safe world after Celes, and though he doubts his arrival to this safe world at all, the blond wonders what damage the left arm will acquire. As much as he hated to admit it, Fai's hunches were usually correct, and nothing horrible had happened to the arm yet, which makes him dread returning to his country even more, especially when he has the sinking feeling that this injury has something to do with the mage.

Fai cannot help anymore, and the vampire knows his worthlessness because of this. The only solace he can offer himself is that he will leave his family soon, and all of their wasted thoughts and concerns about him can disappear as surely as Fai will. They won't need the blue-eyed man, the pawn of Fei-Wong, the magician who doesn't use magic; the thought comforts him as much as it pains him, and Fai supposes it is best that way.

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The next, and presumably the last, injury on Kurogane's left arm was what Fai had anticipated. Here was the catastrophe, here was the horror, and it was all done to save the blond from his world of Celes closing in and crushing him. How, how, could the ninja sacrifice something so precious like this for a man who had almost brought upon his death? Is Fai worth this much? Is he worth anything?

But as he escapes Celes with his family, clutching at Kurogane and staring in blank horror at the mess of blood and skin and bone that was what remained of his arm, Fai found his answer. The swordsman isn't a fool; he isn't an idiot like he proclaims the mage to be. Kurogane just simply never gave up on Fai like he himself had all those years ago in the dark, desolate tower. The red-eyed man believed, like he had believed in Sakura to obtain the price of the water in Tokyo. It was this firm, unyielding, unwavering belief that resided so strongly in Kurogane's intense eyes before they closed from exhaustion that convinced Fai that he is worthy enough to worry and be worried for, to care and be cared for, to love and be loved.

He hated himself, though, for having this revelation at the worst of times, because he may be too late and Kurogane is approaching death much too fast. His left arm, his gaping hole of a left arm, is pouring out blood endlessly as well as the wound to his side; the parched vampire in him screams possessively at the lost blood and Fai thinks hopelessly that it will all be over, that Kurogane will die without ever hearing the blond say "Kuro-rin" or "Daddy" to him again. These thoughts send a small tear down his face, invisible from the gathering crowd by his blood-matted hair and blood- splattered face. He hears a distinctly familiar voice yell orders from the front of the crowd and looks up briefly in almost-happiness to see Souma, clad in a black outfit with a moon symbol sewn onto her headband like Kurogane. Fai looks back down at the ninja's pain-stricken, almost annoyed face and feels two more tears travel down his dirty face, mixing with the blood on his face and dropping onto Kurogane's bloody coat. So they had arrived in Nihon; Kurogane would die in his home and with his wish granted. Another tear falls.

The one-eyed man hears other men approach them and sees them fret over the injured Syaoran and unconscious Sakura and eye the blood-drenched duo just mere feet away, but Fai completely disregards them until they heaved the broader man onto a stretcher and hurried away, muttering about immediate medical treatment. By the time the mage had lashed out, the men were moving, Kurogane was leaving, and Fai sat with one hand stretched out towards his companion, feeling yet another tear cascade down his face. It was then when he felt a small, soft hand touch his grime-covered face and heard a strong, yet feminine voice whisper words of assurance and safety, of life and death, of him and Kurogane to Fai. He stared at the gentle face with the smallest bit of hope in his heart, losing track of the tears that fell from his sole blue eye, wondering himself whether those tears are still of pain and mind-numbing sorrow, or of relief and heart-pounding joy.

The next few nights passed by in fits of restlessness, nightmares, and anguish until Fai stood outside Kurogane's door, dressed in a simple yukata and waiting anxiously for Tomoyo-hime's acknowledgement of his presence. There would be no tears at their reunion; quite the opposite, he thought as he felt a small spike of anger while he thought of the other man's deed. So it was no surprise to Fai (though, the mage thinks with a smirk, it was quite a surprise for the ninja) when he quickly but quietly loped over to where the bandaged man rested, staring emotionlessly before whacking him soundly on the head with a well placed punch, smirking mirthfully but with overwhelming happiness and care in that blue orb of his. Hmph. Punching Fai when he offers up his eyesight for a price is fine, and so is slicing off an arm to save him from the snowy depths of Celes. Right. The stupid bastard deserves it, the blond knows without doubt. He deserves it as much as he deserves the nicknames forming on Fai's mouth and the genuine smile curving on Fai's lips.

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It has been a few days since the incident with the punch, and Fai rarely disappeared from Kurogane's sight, staying close by his side unless the was a dire need for him to leave. He now sat on the side of the swordsman's bed, staring at the man whose red eyes were closed in peace, and spoke out, the mage's words breaking the comfortable silence between the two.

"Tomoyo-hime will be escorting Syaoran-kun to where Sakura-chan is resting in a while," the blue-eyed man reminded him. "We should follow them. You haven't seen Syaoran-kun since you've woken, Kuro-sama."

Kurogane grunted and shifted on the bed, causing a very pleased blond to move closer to the ninja. "Not for another hour. I want to rest for some time." One eye opened, revealing a fiery red iris that softened the slightest bit when staring at the gently smiling man. "You should rest, too, for as much time as you can. There's no point in not using the little time that we have to relax."

Fai grinned and scooted closer to the broader man, moving so that he sat right next to Kurogane, legs burrowing under the sheets that covered the lower portion of the darker-haired man's body. "Daddy knows best, ne?" The mage rested his head against the taller man's shoulder and closed his eye. Kurogane turned his head away from Fai and tilted his head up, quickly becoming used to the warmth emanating from his right.

The ninja had almost started to believe that the rest of their time spent together would be spent dozing next to each other when Fai suddenly spoke. "Fai was right-handed." Kurogane turned to look at the blond, who still leaned against him, eyes still closed and lips still curved honestly but with a sad edge to it. "Fai was right-handed, but I was left-handed. No one in Valeria that I remember was left-handed. When Ashura-ou brought me to Celes and introduced me to everyone, I found that all of them were right-handed. When I asked him, Ashura-ou said that everyone, including himself, in Celes was right-handed, but some rulers in other countries that he knew were left-handed. I tried to ask for more information, but he never said anything else. But I heard the whispers of the townsfolk, of the royal guards and the like about the horrors one particular left-handed king caused to his people. Even though it was only one person, it was enough for me to form a taboo for lefties." Fai laughed, and Kurogane frowned, but kept silent. The blond mage slipped, he's bitter, but still smiling a now fake smile.

The blue-eyed man noticed the ninja's frown and dropped his smile, shaking his head. "Sorry. But you've seen my past, haven't you, Kuro-pii? You saw all the guilt I had when I realized my brother was dead. The fact that my brother, whom I loved very much, was right-handed like everyone else and that I had apparently murdered him was enough to drive me over the edge, not to mention the cruel king wrote with the same hand as I did."

Fai smiled again, and the swordsman decided he liked that smile, with the man's mouth softly turned upwards, showing a tenderness Kurogane hadn't seen in a long time. "And then you arrived into my world. You, Kuro-tan, completely ruined my theory that left-handed people were bad and unlucky. You love to ruin things of mine, don't you? But my belief slowly unraveled, first with you, and then with Fai's real memories, and even that king now seemed like a desperate reason to blame myself. You were the one who helped me let go of my childish ideas of being a taboo, the one who made me realize the impossibility of my selfish desire to bring Fai back, and the one who made me live."

The blond suddenly started, eye opening and moving off Kurogane, removing his hand that unconsciously clutched at the ninja's hand at some point. Fai sat in front of Kurogane, looking up and smiling lightly. "Sorry, Kuro-rin. I did it again, didn't I? I let the past take over me." His blue eye did not convey the same contentment as his smile did. "Kuro-sama doesn't need to hear about that."

Kurogane stayed silent, studying the vampire's face before sighing. "There's a difference… between letting the past consume you and reminiscing on your memories. I don't care if you think back on your life for a minute. It's not like I've never thought of my parents or Tomoyo when traveling." The ninja paused, before smirking. "Besides, I wanted to know what the hell was wrong with you with your obsession with left-handed people. What hand you write with doesn't exactly determine if you're evil or not, idiot."

Fai's eye widened in surprise before grinning and laughing light-heartedly, jumping on the broader man and hugging him tightly. Kurogane jumped slightly before rolling his eyes in annoyance, although the corners of his mouth twitched upwards. The blond pulled back, smiling widely and gazing at the swordsman affectionately. "Thank you, Kuro-wan," he whispered, leaning towards the ninja. Fai hesitated for a second in front of Kurogane's face before moving forward and pressing his lips against the red-eyed man's rough cheek lightly. He pulled back, smiling sheepishly, and Kurogane stared at him wordlessly, frowning slightly. The taller man used his only arm and grabbed Fai's forearm, pulling him forward once again and kissed him firmly on the lips.

When Kurogane pulled back, Fai gaped, wide-eyed in astonishment at the darker-haired man's actions, before he pulled himself together, a faint flush staining his cheeks. " Kuro-sama?" he asked, his blue eye still filled with confusion.

Kurogane snorted and glanced at the flustered mage. "You wanted to kiss me. You ended up kissing my cheek. Don't do things half-way; finish what you want to do before you end up regretting never doing it." He glared at the blond defiantly, daring the man to disagree.

Fai blinked in surprise before closing his eye and chuckling disbelievingly. "You know me too well, Kuro-wanko. But then again, you always were too perceptive for your own good." He looked at Kurogane, his grin turning into a smirk. "So, tell me, Kuro-puu. What am I going to do next?"

Kurogane raised an eyebrow and opened his mouth to respond, but the blue-eyed man quickly leaned forward and closed the space between them, thoroughly surprising the ninja. Kurogane's eyes widened at the sudden feel of Fai's lips on his again before smirking and kissing him back, his arm wrapping around the smaller man's waist, pulling Fai closer to the swordsman.

Fai held back a bit, letting the kiss be a curious touch of lips until he felt Kurogane responding. The mage let out an internal sigh of relief before taking advantage of the ninja's parted mouth and bringing his arms around Kurogane's neck, entangling his hand in the black hair and making sure not to pain the tender wound. The two stayed in a tight embrace until Fai pulled back, needing air and breathing heavily. Kurogane kept silent for a moment, taking in the other man's flushed and panting face and smiling slightly before bringing his hand up to tug at a strand of blond hair that escaped from Fai's ponytail. With the vampire's attention, he spoke. "And you did that because…?"

Fai grinned breathlessly, absently stroking the broader man's black hair. "You're the one that said it, Kuro-tan. I wanted to kiss you, but you kissed me. I can't do things half-way, after all," he retorted teasingly. The blond briefly kissed Kurogane's earlobe and bit it softly before glancing up to look at his burning red eyes. "You know, Kuro-sama, I want to kiss you again." He paused, smirking in mischief and drawing closer to the ninja. "Or you could kiss me. I'm not particularly picky right now."

Kurogane rolled his eyes and leaned forward. "Idiot," he growled out before their lips met, and this time Fai pushed Kurogane down until they were completely lying down on the bed, bodies pressed close together and legs entangling. Fai lightly skimmed one hand down the ninja's body, feeling the toned muscle and skin and smelling the delicious blood underneath the yukata, and Kurogane brought his hand down the blond's face and neck, slipping under his light blue yukata and feeling the smooth, pale skin. The swordsman finally parted with the vampire, causing Fai to whine petulantly and attempt to close the distance between the two, fingers teasingly light on Kurogane's body. Kurogane simply stared, somewhat amused yet exasperated at the slender man's antics, and caught Fai's wandering hand with his own, staring into the bright blue eye gazing at him. "We have to go. The kid…and the princess will be waiting."

Fai pouted in resignation, but his eye danced with laughter, looking happier that Kurogane had ever seen him. "But you told me to relax, Kuro-rin. And I was just getting relaxed!" The blond's face broke out into a grin, and Kurogane snorted in amusement and smirked, admiring Fai's obviously disheveled and wild appearance.

"Get cleaned up. I don't want Tomoyo to get any ideas," he said, pulling the sheets off both of them before gently pushing the smaller man off of the comfortable position he found on top of Kurogane.

Fai raked his hair with his fingers and deftly tied up the loose ponytail with the black ribbon. He glanced at the ninja and smiled deviously. "What kind of ideas? You mean the truth?"

"Shut up, asshole," Kurogane grumbled out, holding out a black yukata that oddly complimented the blond's own garment. He sighed and muttered darkly about meddling princesses who sew everyone's clothes while dropping the cloth on the bed, slightly wincing at the dull throbbing beginning to form where his left arm would be. Fai noted the flinch and walked up to the taller man, and easy smile gracing his features.

"Do you need some help putting your clothes on, Kuro-sama?" the mage asked only half-jokingly, concern lacing in his voice.

The swordsman sent a withering glare towards Fai's direction. "Just because I don't have an arm doesn't mean I can't put my damn clothes on. I don't need help." He looked away from the blond, glaring at the blank wall.

A surprisingly strong hand grabbed Kurogane's arm and jerked him over to where Fai stood. The red-eyed man turned to see the vampire inches away, no longer smiling, eyes serious. "You're going to need help no matter what you think, Kuro-sama. I don't care what you say, but some things are impossible without two hands and it would be stupid of you to try and do it yourself. I'm here, and I want to help, so take advantage of that and ask. Isn't that what you've been trying to teach me?"

Kurogane stared at the unsmiling man, a little taken aback, his red eyes widening slightly. He suddenly grinned triumphantly and kissed the other man fiercely for a brief second. The ninja smirked and spoke against Fai's lips. "Idiot," he murmured, gazing at the startled blue eye. "Looks like you do understand, after all. And besides," he concluded, twisting his arm out of the other man's grasp, "I can dress myself. I've done it before, and it's not that hard. So there's no use worrying about this."

The blond smiled and stepped back, one hand covering his eye. "Okay, then. Go get dressed." He peeked between the two fingers, laughing at the disbelieving man in front of him. "Don't worry, Kuro-puu. I won't look." He proceeded to dramatically shut his eye closed and clamp his hand over his face.

Fai heard Kurogane snort in exasperation and yelped when he felt himself being picked up off the ground and opened his eye to see the not-so-horrible sight of Kurogane's back. He turned his head as much as possible and looked at the side of the ninja's face, who tilted his head back to glance at the squirming blond. "Kuro-wan! Be careful!" he warned, hoping the other man's balance won't go awry at the extra weight placed on his shoulder.

Kurogane sighed and walked toward the door. "I'm fine. You're not as heavy as you are. I can do many things with my right hand, idiot," he said impatiently as he put the man down in front of the screen door leading out of the bedroom.

Fai steadied himself before looking up and frowning slightly. "But…"

"But," the ninja interrupted, calmly gazing at the frustrated blue eye, "it will be a pain in the ass, learning how to write Japanese again with my right hand. So," he looked away from the mage, a faint red coloring his cheeks, "when you come back… with me to Nihon, we'll learn together. And then you can help me. You happy?"

Fai smiled softly, bringing a hand to Kurogane's face, turning his head to look at the blond, and kissed him deeply. When they parted, he searched the swordsman's smoldering red eyes and grinned after a moment, finding what he was looking for and placing another chaste kiss on the ninja's lips. "Very happy," he answered, stepping back and holding the doorknob. "And since Kuro-pii is so shy," he ducked at the embarrassed swipe aimed for him, "I'll leave to give you some privacy."

"I'm not shy!" Kurogane growled out angrily. "I just don't trust you near me when I'm taking my clothes off. You'd probably jump on me, or something," he finished with a smirk.

The vampire returned the smirk and sighed dejectedly. "Hmm, that would happen, but honestly, how could I resist?" Fai grinned and opened the door, walking out and turning around to stick his head in the doorframe. "Hurry up, will you, Kuro-sama? I'd like Syaoran-kun to have at least one of his worries eased. And plus, Tomoyo-hime and I have a gift for you. I know you don't want to miss that, Kuro-rin!" He smiled innocently at the red-eyed man's suspicious glare and closed the door. Fai leaned against the wall opposite the room and waited for Kurogane to appear. The blond closed his eye and smiled lightly. As much as the thought of the two of them learning together appealed to him, Fai preferred Kurogane being the teacher; the ninja was surprisingly patient and helpful when teaching him. Besides, learning how to write with the right hand seems like too much work; it'd be easier just for Kurogane to be a lefty. And, Fai thought as he smiled up at the man opening his bedroom door, there's nothing wrong with him being a lefty, either.

OWARI

A/N: Yay! It finally ends! With a really cheesy ending! Hyuu! XD Ah, so I'm a tiny bit rusty at my endings, but I didn't exactly know how to get back on track with the lefty stuff instead of the smooching stuff :D This was basically all of my favorite moments with Kurogane and Fai since Outo tied together with a fake plot about left-handed people XD I had to represent the lefties!(Yes, I'm left-handed. And the last time I checked, only 6 percent of the population are left-handed. Seriously. :D) And what better way to represent them than to make my favorite pairing of all time lefties? hehe XD I would like reviews, good or bad, about the story. I love hearing critique since it helps me with my writing (special thanks to Xx-Darkstar, who pointed out my tense shifting, which I have a really bad problem with. I checked the story, but I probably missed some tense shiftings :\ ) So I don't mind if you want to point out any problems, it's actually appreciated :) Thanks to all who read and review!