Title: Trust This
Rating: pg-13, for one naughty f-word.
Spoilers: Ceres arc and the beginning of Nihon arc
Summary: The world is closing and Kurogane makes a decision. KuroFai. Word count: 420
A/N: I'm trying to get into Kurogane's mind. Partly inspired by listening to "The Evenstar" from the Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers soundtrack at an ungodly late/early hour.
Disclaimer: Tsubasa: Reservoir Chronicle and its characters (Fay D. Flourite, Kurogane, Tomoyo-hime, and Kurogane's mother) belong to CLAMP, Del Rey Ballantine Books, Random House Inc., Kodansha Ltd., and Funimation. This work is for entertainment only, no copyright infringement is intended, and the author reaps no profit except perhaps heartbreakage by the angst. The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers soundtrack belongs to New Line Productions, Inc., The Saul Zaentz Company, and Tolkien Enterprises.

Trust This

The world was closing and time was running out.

Everything was moving too fast, too slowly as though he were in a dream. But this was no dream. Kurogane propelled his leaden body sluggishly through the wound in the writhing ink-magic. Using the momentum from his escape, he kept a firm grip on the slender arm but only succeeded in hauling out one bloody, gloved hand. He tugged futilely at the arm again but met resistance in the form of a force so unnatural such that no man, no matter how great his strength, could best. And in his weakened state now…

Scalding anger surged through him and a frustrated snarl twisted his lips at the defeated slump of the magician's shoulder. There was no time and, fuck, he had to try. Another forceful jerk accomplished nought but tore wider the lesion in his side. Fay was speaking again now. But Kurogane could not focus and the words slurred and fused; he knew what the other man was saying though, he could almost hear the idiot over the dull throbbing beneath his temples: I'm sorry I'm going to die. I guess you don't get to kill me after all, Kuro-sama.

Through his wavering vision he watched determination straighten the magician's spine and Fay lifted his head regally, his face impassive. However, the single blue eye, burning with resolve and anguish, held captive his red ones. Then released them as the former prince, esteemed royal wizard, and dearest companion commanded him, "Go." The panicked anger sputtered out leaving a bleak and numbing despair in its stead. At least electric pain no longer lanced from the jagged gash in his side or he just couldn't feel it any more.

Then, came the voice, soft but urgent, as if it had strained and risen from the depths of his subconscious. If you want him to go with you… If you wish for it with all your heart… You have to exchange him for something that has the same magic power as him. He closed his eyes, summoning the reserves of his strength and the entirety of his courage. Unbidden, a spider web wisp of memory brushed the back of his mind; his mother's voice whispered, Trust this… trust this… trust. Trust this… trust love. Nothing has resonated more keenly with his entire being and his eyes snapped open. He relinquished his death grip on Fay's wrist to transfer it to Souhi's hilt. And he trusted, for it was no sacrifice at all.

End.