A/N- This was written for the KuroTomo and KuroFai Writing Challenge - by Me or the Wallpaper! I'd actually wanted to write for this earlier but I couldn't think of anything. And even when I did I wasn't sure if It'd work out. But I kept at it and now I have this fic to present you 3

I'm not going to lie…this was actually fun to write…even if I don't care for KuroTomo in the romantic sense. I just love Kurogane and Tomoyo as separate entities as I've probably said before in my drabblet 'To Understand'. Any subtext you have in here for a TomoxKuroxFai OT3 is a lie. (Though that is a nice idea for another day~ )

Hmm…that's all I have to say for now…I'm afraid this is the last piece for Kurogane and Tomoyo I have planned for a while unless I get some spontaneous ideas (which happens a lot).

Rating- There's the f-bomb once and a few other words, because Kurogane doesn't exactly have the cleanest vocabulary.

Disclaimer- If Sakura took over the world and turned everybody into Ashura clones and had a harem with them there would be the slightest chance that I could own these characters. But since that will never happen I never will. :'C


He was 14 when he made his promise

"Kurogane's so strong!" Tomoyo cheered, clapping her hands that were still sticky from the rice balls she had ate. "You'll be on the Palace Guard in no time!"

Kurogane had merely huffed at this, turning around after the demonstration he had done for Princess Tomoyo. His face etched into a smirk and he extended his fist. "I'm not just going to be part of the Palace Guard." Kurogane corrected, his hand clenching tighter. "I'm going to be a ninja…your personal ninja so I can always protect you!"

Tomoyo had stared at him with a bewildered look before slipping into a smile.

"That's nice Kurogane."

He was 16 when he became one of Tomoyo's guard

"I'm impressed."

Tomoyo was sitting on the edge of the training ground, eating a piece of fish daintily, while waving a different slice in front of Kurogane's face. "Kurogane can actually use a sword."

"Shut up." The brunet ninja swiped the piece of fish, throwing it in his mouth and swallowing it ungracefully before continuing to talk to Tomoyo. "I made a promise remember? I don't break my promises."

Tomoyo sighed as Kurogane shot her a fierce 'you doubted me?' look, and she put a hand on his head patting it gently. "You really don't do you Kurogane?"

"Hell yes." Kurogane put his hands around his knees. "I'll always be here for you Tomoyo-hime."

He was 21 when she sent him away

"What the fuck?" Kurogane screamed as magic began to swirl around and consume him. He glared at Tomoyo, waving his sword Ginryuu madly in the air.

"I will return!" The ninja proclaimed, pointing at the miko-princess. "You aren't getting rid of me this easily damnit!"

As Kurogane was swallowed by the magic Tomoyo sighed, a wistful smile curving the edges of her lips.

/Oh how I'd like you to return…but this is for the better Kurogane. You shouldn't look back./

He was 26 when he returned for good.

"It's great to see you back." Tomoyo muttered softly hoping not to awake the mage sleeping in the other room. Kurogane crossed his arms and grunted.

"Yeah…it's nice to be…home." The princess laughed at this, a melodic tone that made the slightest blush appear on Kurogane's face.

"You've changed Kurogane."

She was about to walk off when Kurogane caught her arm, pulling the brunette girl back. "I wouldn't say that." Kurogane stated quietly. "There's always been one thing that has never changed."

"And what is that Kurogane?"

/My love/

Under the pressure of Tomoyo's amethyst eyes, the ninja could not make himself say the words that needed to be said. He couldn't reveal the feelings that he had merely dismissed as thesire to protect his princess.

"My loyalty." The man relented as he let Tomoyo go from his grasp.

The former miko had nodded in agreement. "I wouldn't have expected you to lose that Kurogane. It's an important part of who you are."

She walked away.

And that's when he discovered he loved her.

"Kuro-myuu seems distracted." Fai pouted, waving a hand in front of the younger man's face. Kurogane swat it away, glaring at the blond.

"I'm thinking. So shut up."

"But Kuro-tan's always thinking!" Fai crossed his arms, nearly tangling himself in the long sleeves of his furisode. "Whenever he talks to Tomoyo-chan, whenever he trains in the training field, whenever he sits outside the cherry trees…" Fai paused at this, realization reaching the blue hues of his eyes.

"…Oh great." Kurogane muttered. That look of realization was never a good thing.

"It's because Kuro-sama's in love isn't he?" Fai took his fingers and placed them in a heart, holding it to Kurogane's face. "Kuro-rin's so silent all the time because he's contemplating his true love! The person who will become his beautiful princess~!"

"I am not contemplating Tomoyo-hime!" Kurogane shouted, and Fai smirked deviously. "…Damn…"

"I never said anything about Tomoyo-chan. So does that mean…?"

"Stop making assumptions stupid mage!" Kurogane cried out in retaliation, swatting Fai's hand away, but it was all too late. Fai would never stop now…

"Tell her." Instead of continuing to tease, a pale hand was placed on his own, cerulean eyes imploring the ninja to take his advice. "Tell Tomoyo-chan how you feel."

"…No." Kurogane muttered, looking to the side. "She doesn't feel the same way."

"And how do you know that?" Fai questioned, pushing Kurogane in the direction of Tomoyo's room. "Things have changed Kuro-tan! Tomoyo-chan has as well."

"You…!"

Before he could bite out his insult Kurogane had been shoved past the sliding door into Tomoyo's room. She turned to look at him, a bit confused at seeing her brunet ninja before her.

"Kurogane…?"

"Tomoyo-hime!"

The two had shared a moment of silence before Tomoyo had gestured Kurogane to come forward. "Well… is there something you need to talk to me about Kurogane?"

"…Yes." Kurogane started determinedly. "There's something I've been meaning to tell you for a while now."

"Is it about Fai-san?" Tomoyo asked, making a motion to pick up the teapot in the corner of the room.

"No. This is about me…and you."

Just before the princess was about to pour the tea she stopped, turning back to face Kurogane. "About us?"

"Yes. Tomoyo-hime…there's something…I need to confess."

Kurogane took a deep breath, slamming his hands against the table before him.

"I love you Tomoyo-hime. I always have." Kurogane proclaimed, crimson eyes fierce as he looked up at his princess. "That's why I swore my life to you…and swore to always protect you."

Such over-eloquent words. He hated them…but sometimes there was just a need to use them.

Kurogane continued to stare at Tomoyo's back, watching her shake softly before turning around with a look half torn between believing Kurogane and dismissing his words as a prank.

"Are you telling the truth Kurogane?"

"Why would I lie to you hime?" Kurogane asked darkly.

Tomoyo then shook her head, walking to Kurogane and placing her hands on his. "I…love you too…but hitsuzen..."

"Screw hitsuzen." Kurogane told her, grasping Tomoyo's hands tightly. "We'll make our own future, and there's no stopping us."

Tomoyo sighed happily. "Oh Kurogane… you really haven't changed that much after all!"

"…What's that supposed to mean?!"

It was two years later that they obtained their happily ever after.

"Kuroganeeeeee! Come back here!"

"Yeah Kuro-rin! Come back!"

Kurogane hid behind the wall, attempting to avoid the two hyper people following him. Maybe if he could hide for long enough they'd lose interest and…

"Kuro-tan!"

…Damn.

A pair of thin hands wrapped themselves around his stomach and Kurogane looked down to see that Fai had escaped his notice and captured him. Grinning ferally, the mage began to drag him along, chirping excitedly as he praised himself.

"I can't believe I actually caught the scary Kuro-kuro! Tomoyo-chan will be so impressed! I can't wait to see how cute Kurogane will look in his kimono that Tomoyo made for him! Oh it'll be simply adorable!"

"Shut up!" Kurogane growled, not bothering to try to escape Fai's embrace. The mage could be pretty dang strong when he wanted to be.

Facing forward he saw Tomoyo-hime, glowing in the morning sun. She wore a kimono of sakura petals, and her ebony hair was tied back with an array of gold barrettes. Congratulating Fai she took Kurogane from his grip and the three walked into the room.

There sat the largest kimono Kurogane had ever seen. It was dark black with white moons and Kurogane had a sneaking suspicion…

"…You're going to force me to put that on aren't you?"

"Nooooo!" Fai and Tomoyo called out in unison, pulling the kimono from the table it was placed on and throwing it in Kurogane's face. "We'd never do that!"

"I HATE YOU TWO SO MUCH!" Kurogane yelled, though he accepted the kimono and began to examine it.

"Is that the best thing to say on your third anniversary?" Tomoyo sobbed, and Fai consoled her. "It's alright Tomoyo-chan. Kuro-wanwan just doesn't have a romantic bone in his body."

The brunet turned to yell at them again though he realized with a start that he had indeed forgotten the anniversary. And Kurogane supposed with a sigh that if he didn't put the kimono on now Tomoyo would find other ways to extract her revenge.

It was really a blessing and a curse to love somebody like her.

/But I wouldn't want it any other way./