Tsubasa Reservoir Chronicles belongs to CLAMP

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This story takes place after the groups' appearance in chapter 204.5 of xxxholic

This is dedicated to Uakari, just because you are awesome and all sorts of other synonyms along the same line.

The much cooler than this fic deserves title was suggested by Mikkeneko :)

-Dyscalculia-

Background: The travelers have been cajoled into participating in a series of contests. When Fai is eliminated after the third round, Kurogane forfeits in favor of confronting the obviously embarrassed and upset mage.

Kurogane couldn't keep the shock from showing on his face at the mage's words. Seeing the shamed flush tint the face of their group's merry-andrew caused the ninja to quickly banish his astonishment, his expression returning to its default setting of stern stoicism. "But, you spent years studying? That guy said you learned everything in his library," he said lamely, unable to reconcile what he had just heard with what he knew.

Fai gave Kurogane an uncomfortable smile. "No, Kuro-sama I studied all the books of magic. I never learned math beyond what I needed for potions. If it wasn't directly related to magic I didn't study it," he replied with no small amount of discomfort.

Kurogane frowned, 'That couldn't be right? Someone as stupidly intelligent as this moron couldn't be so… ignorant, could they?'

"What about history, the sciences, geography? You had to have learned something about them," Kurogane insisted as he contemplated the gaping holes in mage's education.

Fai shook his head, starting to feel a little annoyed with having to repeat himself. It wasn't as if this was something he wanted to admit. He had been rather successful in hiding the fact these past four years and he was irked that he was being forced to admit it because of a game that even Mokona seemed to be able to play without difficulty. "The only," he said stressing the second word, "books I have read or concepts I have learned are those dealing with magic," he explained, his irritation causing his eyes to narrow.

Kurogane crossed his arms and leaned against the wall considering, "Ok, I get it. What do you want to do about it?"

"Eh?" Fai asked ever so intelligently.

"Considering that the kid tried to keep you from having to participate in this contest, he probably already knows or at least suspects that you wouldn't know how to solve the equations and since you finally admitted it to me there's no point in hiding it. What do you want to do about it?" Kurogane asked, his voice unemotional, while his wine colored eyes held the fidgeting magician in place.

Fai gave a delicate laugh that caused Kurogane's scowl to deepen, "Kuro-rin, I think it would be a bit difficult to take up the scholarly pursuits considering we are hardly in the same place for more than few days."

Kurogane's eyes narrowed dangerously and his scowl threatened to turn angry at the pathetic excuse the brain damaged rabbit had given, "That's you're answer?" Kurogane's scowl abruptly turned into a smirk that caused the mage to tense, "That's a great example you're setting for the kid, Mommy."

Fai gaped at Kurogane as though he had sprouted a second head from his ear. "I- I didn't mean it that way, but I don't have the materials I need and in all the worlds we have travelled there has yet to be a form of writing similar enough to what I know for me to begin to decipher it. Besides I'd hate to pester Syaoran-kun about helping me study."

Kurogane snorted, "The kid would enjoy helping and you know it. Though he'd only be able to help with the arithmetic and maybe some of the sciences."

"He's very knowledgeable, Kuro-chan, I am sure he can help with more than that," Fai advised the warrior a bit of parental pride creeping into his voice and a small smile teasing his lips.

"Yeah," Kurogane agreed, "but he can't teach you Nihon's history or any of the rest that you'll need to know."

Fai blinked at the unsubtle implication in Kurogane's words. His smile brightened considerably, cobalt eyes warming. "In that case," he said, raising up on his toes, the tips of one hand's fingers braced against the ninja's chest as he leaned forward, his other hand sliding around the back of Kurogane's neck, fingers gliding through the warrior's hair, "Kuro-sama will have to teach me," his words whispering against the other man's lips.

In the warmth of their bed that evening Fai began his first non-magical study. He was curled against Kurogane's side; the ninja's arm wrapped around the his slim body, supporting the book the gruff warrior had specifically requested out of the dozen Watanuki had sent them through Mokona, a book of children's tales Kurogane's mother had told to him.

As Kurogane's low gravelly voice took the words and painted pictures across Fai's mind, the mage rested his head on Kurogane's shoulder, a contented smile on his lips. He had nothing against study, but unlike Syaoran who enjoyed learning, Fai had studied out of duty. With Kurogane's voice vibrating against the side of his face and the peace he had found, Fai realized that he was looking forward to learning those things the man he loved wished to teach him.

Authors Notes:

Dyscalculia: impaired ability to learn grade-appropriate mathematics

Merry-Andrew: clown: a person who amuses others by ridiculous behavior