two oneshots
Way too much inspiration lately, and none of it for Twelve Tasks...
But I always time Twelve Tasks updates really poorly. Just before or after a new chapter. EVERY BLOODY TIME.
So the first was written before reading 154. I think they're both in the same setting, although the second is a lot clearer about setting. They may or may not take place in the same interpretation. Your choice.
Oh. SPOILER-HEAVY.
Title: Tell Me A Story...
Rating: G. I don't need to bother with this function, do I? I never write above low T...
Wordcount: 348
A/N: Inspired by "Ladybird" by Tears For Fears, and the song might be recognized in the narrative. Maybe not.
Kurogane knew, he knew, that this was not a matter of obstinacy. Being stubborn would not work against such dead weight determination as that of the magician.
Indeed, Fai was making the inscrutable face again, and was looking away. “That was a long time ago,” he said.
He never told his story. He would hint at it, release snatches as if he wanted to, but he would always snap shut before divulging any secrets that hid behind frozen smiles. It made Kurogane want to slice him open to see what would tumble free, or force open that mouth to hear the thoughts kept tightly inside. But he never did.
In this cold, the magician’s breath could be seen in the air, and it taunted Kurogane because it had seen what Fai kept hidden. It knew.
They were nothing, sitting there unable to communicate. Kurogane had failed to make the magician speak before, and Fai would never admit to anything. Even his latest divulged secret was tiny, a mere fragment of what still lay mocking him behind the absent smile.
He wanted to say many things himself. Things like “someday, I’ll know,” or “you’re cracking,” battled against “it’s hurting you more than it’s hurting me” and “do you really think so little of me?” while “I want to help you” lurked in the back and declined a position. But none of this would help, he knew. Fai did not want to hear about the consequences. Knowing him, he had already guessed at them, weighed them, and added their weight to his growing burden. It angered Kurogane the more.
So he said nothing.
Fai seemed to expect something more, because he didn’t move or turn his back. After an age of silence, he turned to face the ninja again, face devoid of any mask or emotion. A clean slate.
“What to lose…” he whispered.
“You don’t lose anything that easily,” Kurogane replied. And Fai smiled.
And there was suddenly hope for the cause.
“Then I’ll tell you a story…” Fai began softly.
Title: An Understanding
Rating: G. Death?
Wordcount: 171
A/N: Yeah. Short. Inspired by "Chasing Cars" by Snow Patrol.
“I didn’t want to do that,” Fai whispered as the king-no-longer dropped to the ground.
Kurogane didn’t mean to hear. Surely he was not meant to hear. But it was impossible not to respond.
“There’s other things you didn’t want to do. You did them anyway,” he said gruffly. “Because they needed to be done.” He gestured to Sakura’s body, miraculously preserved and alive in a country filled with death. Shaoran noticed and ran to retrieve it.
“Or I had no choice.” The magician didn’t seem surprised to hear a response. Perhaps the statement was directed to the world at large.
“You always have a choice,” Kurogane told him. “Either you acknowledge it or you don’t, but it’s there.” He gripped Fai’s shoulder, a little tighter than was probably comfortable or necessary. The magician winced.
“What -”
“Let’s go.” Shaoran beat Kurogane to the order.
Fai stood silent a moment, taking in the scene. Then he nodded and nodded to Mokona.
He did not shrug away from Kurogane’s grip this time.
But I always time Twelve Tasks updates really poorly. Just before or after a new chapter. EVERY BLOODY TIME.
So the first was written before reading 154. I think they're both in the same setting, although the second is a lot clearer about setting. They may or may not take place in the same interpretation. Your choice.
Oh. SPOILER-HEAVY.
Title: Tell Me A Story...
Rating: G. I don't need to bother with this function, do I? I never write above low T...
Wordcount: 348
A/N: Inspired by "Ladybird" by Tears For Fears, and the song might be recognized in the narrative. Maybe not.
Kurogane knew, he knew, that this was not a matter of obstinacy. Being stubborn would not work against such dead weight determination as that of the magician.
Indeed, Fai was making the inscrutable face again, and was looking away. “That was a long time ago,” he said.
He never told his story. He would hint at it, release snatches as if he wanted to, but he would always snap shut before divulging any secrets that hid behind frozen smiles. It made Kurogane want to slice him open to see what would tumble free, or force open that mouth to hear the thoughts kept tightly inside. But he never did.
In this cold, the magician’s breath could be seen in the air, and it taunted Kurogane because it had seen what Fai kept hidden. It knew.
They were nothing, sitting there unable to communicate. Kurogane had failed to make the magician speak before, and Fai would never admit to anything. Even his latest divulged secret was tiny, a mere fragment of what still lay mocking him behind the absent smile.
He wanted to say many things himself. Things like “someday, I’ll know,” or “you’re cracking,” battled against “it’s hurting you more than it’s hurting me” and “do you really think so little of me?” while “I want to help you” lurked in the back and declined a position. But none of this would help, he knew. Fai did not want to hear about the consequences. Knowing him, he had already guessed at them, weighed them, and added their weight to his growing burden. It angered Kurogane the more.
So he said nothing.
Fai seemed to expect something more, because he didn’t move or turn his back. After an age of silence, he turned to face the ninja again, face devoid of any mask or emotion. A clean slate.
“What to lose…” he whispered.
“You don’t lose anything that easily,” Kurogane replied. And Fai smiled.
And there was suddenly hope for the cause.
“Then I’ll tell you a story…” Fai began softly.
Title: An Understanding
Rating: G. Death?
Wordcount: 171
A/N: Yeah. Short. Inspired by "Chasing Cars" by Snow Patrol.
“I didn’t want to do that,” Fai whispered as the king-no-longer dropped to the ground.
Kurogane didn’t mean to hear. Surely he was not meant to hear. But it was impossible not to respond.
“There’s other things you didn’t want to do. You did them anyway,” he said gruffly. “Because they needed to be done.” He gestured to Sakura’s body, miraculously preserved and alive in a country filled with death. Shaoran noticed and ran to retrieve it.
“Or I had no choice.” The magician didn’t seem surprised to hear a response. Perhaps the statement was directed to the world at large.
“You always have a choice,” Kurogane told him. “Either you acknowledge it or you don’t, but it’s there.” He gripped Fai’s shoulder, a little tighter than was probably comfortable or necessary. The magician winced.
“What -”
“Let’s go.” Shaoran beat Kurogane to the order.
Fai stood silent a moment, taking in the scene. Then he nodded and nodded to Mokona.
He did not shrug away from Kurogane’s grip this time.