Touching the Viking - KuroFai Harlequin 15 (ii/v)

[animangod]

Authours Note: Think I finally got the glitches out of this piece...  Gomen.

 

Ten days later…April 11th…(1)

After that place, Hanshin had been completely foreign to Kurogane, while still remaining similar to what he knew. Fai, it seemed, was the talk of the town. Arashi, a thin woman, with raven hair that lay down her shoulders smooth as silk, welcomed Fai, knowing when he’d arrive before he did. Fai smiled, and greeted Arashi pleasantly. Smooth, graceful movements. Kurogane watched Fai, completely distracted as he watched how flawless Fai would project himself. Strong, confident, but gentle. An idol, so to speak, of beauty, grace and power.

A young girl rushed up toward Fai, and tugged lightly on his coat. Fai looked down at the child, "Fai of D, please, Karendayuu and the she-Troupe are upon us again. Won't you dance amongst them?" one of the young villagers pleaded of the heavily robed 'woman'. Fai smiled at the youth as her mother came over and put her hands on the youth’s shoulder, and apologized for her behavior.

“It is all well,” Fai assured the parent, before Fai bent low to the earth and smiled at the child, "I will consider it, young she-child."

Kurogane watched the scene. The young girl smiled brightly at Fai. And if the smile he wore then reminded him a lot of how he smiled, how he talked softly to his own daughter, Kurogane guess the man had a small weakness for children. He would admit the child with the freckled face had an innocence to her, the way her brown eyes lit up and a joyous expression highlighted her face, the way her brown hair curled ever so next to her face before he mother escorted her away, he could almost imagine Sakura, a bit younger, would have been a bit like that. Almost, because she was raised by a Witch. A witch, who deceived everyone else to thinking he was a she because he had a sense of attraction towards males, or so that was the reasoning he had been given. Fai turned back lightly towards Kurogane, “Coming, Kuro-Father?”

Kurogane turned his eyes away, wearing a scowl before following Fai with their two children. After reacquainting themselves with the housing, Fai took Kurogane out. Syaoran and Sakura had stayed at the housing offered by Arashi, as Sakura had claimed to have been feeling a little 'below-the-weather', which Fai knew meant she really just wanted some private time with Syaoran, and happily obliged his daughter’s whim, leaving the children to themselves. After the first week aboard the ship, the children had gotten a bit closer, which had been a surprise, and not too much of a surprise to both parents. Fai had been quite watchful over them after a while, but subtly. Kurogane had been the opposite. He didn't hide it.

"Come along, Kuro-concerned." Fai led the other towards a noisy tavern. Loud laughter, the strong stench of alcohol and sweat and dirt, Fai moved towards the bar, ordering some food and drinks from Shougo before moving away and finding a square table and settling down at it.

Alcohol was swiftly served, the bartender, a shrimp of a man compared to them, "Here you are, Fai of D. Your food should be ready soon."

"Thank you." The boy bowed before scurrying off to serve other patrons.

"Come here oft?" Kurogane asks.

"Oft enough. The drink here is not as favorable as the drink from Clover, but the food here is superior."

Kurogane nodded lightly as he looked around. It was noisy, the patrons chattering or mute, but the air lively. "So … what do you do here?"

Kurogane had turned to Fai who was sipping the drink, turning lightly to face Kurogane. His furry hood was down, exposing his high cheek bones, blonde hair, fair skin and beautiful blue eyes, only accentuated further by the headpiece he wore. "What do you mean what do I do? I do what I want, naturally."

"But what do you do?"

"Ohh~~, yknow… the children here are pretty lively. Sometimes I'll entertain him. Here is where our type is welcome."

"You mean, Vikings are welcome?" Kurogane asked for further clarification.

"I mean Kuro-water is welcome as well." Fai winked at the other, suggestively.

"They have the gift here…?"

"Some have the gift. Here, most are also alike, but the blood is rosewater. Only few strong ones are here. Like Shougo. Keep Masayoshi about and that be his hero. Shougo actually built this town when he was exciled from his lands."

"What did he do?”

“Rumors say he murdered his wife and child so they exiled him. He’d been Viking aforehand, but he just wanted to settle down somewhere, make life good, use his gift to aid instead of hurt. It’s why traders and those gifted are welcome most.” Fai trilled lightly, Kurogane studying him, before the sound of someone entering the tavern echoed in the room. "I knew we would find Fai of D here. Mother! Over here!"

An excited girl was waving dramatically at them. Her short black hair, a familiar bodice over her chest, as her short mini plate skirt showed off half of her thighs. A gray wolf was seated beside her leg. Nearest her was a man with short cut hair; he was wearing armor as well that he had seen Fai had some of. A thick chainmail made his outfit like a loose variant of a suit of armor and a gambeson beneath. At his hip was a rapier. The female carried some sort of firearm.

"My, this is certainly a good surprise." Fai's smile widened, as the small group joined the table he was at before he turned towards Kurogane. "Kurogane… these are some more of my friends… Everyone, this is Kurogane. He and his son will be joining Sakura and I, although Syaoran is currently with Sakura."

Kurogane looked at the people, before remembering something, but not knowing their names, "The female with the gray wolf called you Mother. Are you Mother to her too?"

Mentioned girl piped up, "Not. Mother is a title, Kurogane. Although Mother is Sakura's mother, she is Mother of Dragon. You can consider in that particular regard Mother is like ... Captain. Aye, even leader."

Kurogane nodded, with some understanding. He took note that these people believed that Fai really was the she-child’s actual mother. So that meant that they didn’t know either. The girl's eyes widened, realizing they hand not properly greeted the other. "Oh, let me introduce ourselves. I am Tsubaki, daughter of Nekoi, and this fella is Inuki." She patted the wolf’s head and he let out a small bark, tail swishing. "And this guy is Shio, son of Kazuho."

"Nice to meet you," Shio said with a small wave.

Kurogane made a light grunt. Then, Tsubaki went into talking and gossiping with Fai, while Shio turned to Kurogane. "So tell me. How'd you come to know Fai of D?"

Kurogane shrugged, "Saved my son's life."

The four of them shared talk, mostly Fai and Tsubaki before Kurogane saw food approach, fruits and breads and some form of cooked, slightly steaming food coming towards them, and his eyes followed the food, before it was set atop the table he was sharing with Fai and the others. He swallowed, as he stared at the unusual but delicious smelling food. He watched in wonder at the mysterious food, steam disappearing, like freshly cooked bread. Suddenly, there was a nudge against his ribs. Not super hard, but enough to pull his attention to the other as Fai smiled at him, "Try."

Kurogane nodded, picking up one of the presented objects of his attention with his hands. Blowing on it to cool it down a little more, he slowly tried it. Kurogane had never had anything like it before, it was definitely foreign food to him, but it was … beyond wonderment. The tan bottom was a fluffy pancake, and the ingredients, new spices, the way it blended. It tingled his taste buds, as they began crying out for more of whatever it was.

Fai watched Kurogane, clearly bemused by the other, and Kurogane gazing, almost mystified, clearly enthralled by the exotic food.

"Didn't I tell you they have some of the best food here?" Fai smirked at the other.

Kurogane lightly blushed, at being caught excited like a little child, but it was delicious and tantalizing. He only offered Fai a curt nod, before Fai began to eat his own, as the others helped Fai eat the food, and more social banter was made. Normally Kurogane was observant, yet silent, not adding much input although he had an opinion; this time, he was less observant, but still with little input, as the food kept him preoccupied. It was love at first bite.

Fai and the others chatted over new developments. Apparently, there was trouble in other lands, Rasetsu had his third child, something about Crusades, Feiwan was mentioned a few times. Much gossip, rumors, stories... Kurogane lost track somewhere in the middle.

 

Fai, Sakura, Kurogane, and Syaoran stayed in Hanshin for half a fortnight. The night of the 16th was to be the she-Troupe's last night there and Fai made sure to dance amongst them the night before, for the amusement and joy of the children. On the 16th, there was a lunar eclipse within the first hours of the day, the moon in the sky a blood red, in total eclipse for nearly 100 minutes, having taken 112 minutes to reach and leave total eclipse each, the eclipse lasting for nearly 322 minutes.

Fai was up for the eclipse, staring at the moon. Kurogane had only awoken at that ungodly hour of one in the morning, because of Fai. No, Fai made no noise, standing quietly outside as he watched the moon, but he should be asleep. Any sane person should be in bed. And seeing as Fai had them share the same bed to sleep in, Kurogane knew the idiot was not in bed. Kurogane grunted, finding it annoying that Fai was not where he should be and annoyed that it annoyed him awake when it rightly shouldn’t bother him, before he quietly went to find him. Fai was just standing in the middle of the street, staring, a saddened smile on his face, arms crossed over chest, deceitfully woman in appearance. He was wearing his fur coat, hood down and that flashy ornamental headdress he wore shone in the reddening light. Fai seemed too caught up in whatever or wherever his mind was, he never noticed Kurogane's arrival, until said man put a hand to his shoulder. Fai's eyes widened, body tensed immediately and he whirled away from the hand's grip, as though it twere a snake, going to bite him. In a flash of fluid movement, Fai was wielding a seix(2) against the other’s throat. It took him a moment or two before he noticed it was merely Kurogane. He calmed down then smiled brightly as he lowered the blade away.

"Oh, Kuro-awake, what are you doing there?" he asked as he put the deadly blade away.

Kurogane had been caught off guard by Fai, suddenly turning on him like that, cool metal nipping sharply at his throat. It had been a complicated moment, as Fai’s eyes blazed, tainted in some form of fear, suddenly wielding a weapon with deadly accuracy. He had been too caught off, he hadn’t even countered the attack, and if Fai hadn’t held back from the attack, if he had continued instead of pausing where he did, Kurogane knew his jugular would have been sliced clean open. And then the blond was regathering his flamboyant senses, as though nothing just happened there. He eyed the other with his usual scowl, because something did happen just then, but Fai was treating it like nothing. "I am doing here, because you were not in bed."

Fai smiled, "It's fine; you can return to bed. I'm just going to watch the moon for a while. Tis rare to see a moon stained crimson."

Kurogane grunted in disapproval. He returned to the housing, and Fai thought he'd be there the rest of the night, but then he was returning out, with alcohol, handing a clay bottle to Fai. "Drink?"

Fai let out a half-reprieved breath. "Drink." Kurogane sat down next to Fai, slouching as he drank the ale. Fai joined Kurogane where he sat, still able to see the moon. After a little while, Fai spoke up, as he watched the moon. "Why?" he asked.

Kurogane didn't know what to say to that; there was no way he could really answer a question he didn’t know what Fai was really asking. But, he shrugged, "Why not?"

Fai smiled, as he watched the eclipse. To pass the time, Kurogane actually started a conversation. Tried to, rather.

"What were you thinking of before?"

"Thinking of before...what, Kuro-talkative?"

"Before ... when you were staring at the moon."

Fai looked at Kurogane, before smiling falsely. "I was not thinking of anything, Kuro-presumptuous."

"It was something sad?"

"Really. I was thinking of nothing, Kuro-accusative." The conversation ended pretty much there. Fai downright denied the question, and Kurogane grunted in disapproval at the other. They sat in near muted silence as they watched the moon with the ale. Kurogane closed his eyes, as he focused on getting a little shut-eye, even if it wasn’t swell rest from sitting up, but having Fai out alone didn’t sit well with him either.

“Beautiful…”Fai spoke at one point, the word slipping from his lips while the moon was in total eclipsement, “the moon is so beautiful tonight. She normally [looks] innocent, before fading into a sea of darkness then returning [to the] light, but tonight she is bathed in blood. Neither innocent nor lost in the sea of darkness. Truly beautiful.”

Kurogane opened his eyes and stared at Fai as he spoke. Fai was gazing merely at the moon, with one arm stretched behind bracing himself, and one reaching forward, as if to touch the moon before receding to his side. He really didn’t seem to be talking to anyone in particular, but leaving the words there in the air. Kurogane knew for sure he wasn’t meaning anyone to really hear him, when he turned to him smiling, “Sorry, did I wake you?”

“I was not asleep.” Fai tensed slightly, then tried to relax once more. He sat up a little before leaning softly against one of Kurogane’s arm, “Then if I do this, you won’t mind?” Fai asked in a quiet voice.

Kurogane didn’t protest. “Aren’t you tired?”

“A little tired. But I really wanted to see the moon.”

In the end, Fai couldn’t stay awake for all the eclipse, falling asleep shortly after four in the morning, and softly leaning on Kurogane's shoulder. Kurogane gently touched the man's long blonde hair, fingers shifting between it, and Fai slowly nuzzled into the other. Kurogane continues to touch Fai's hair, liking how it felt so soft in his fingers. It reminded him a bit of how he used to take care of those long coarse raven lengths. Fingers lightly brushed against pale skin, the chill of the air seeming settled on Fai. His skin was cool without being clammy against his warmer, calloused hands.

Fai was breathing slowly, and Kurogane could feel his pulse beating slowly inside his neck. Kurogane realized right then how exposed Fai could be, knew if he wanted, he could end the man's breathing right there. It was a dark and morbid thought. If he silenced the Witch, then ... he pushed the thought away. There was nothing to gain killing Fai; there was only much risk and endangerment to his son to gain. Not to mention how cowardly it was to kill a defenseless man in their sleep. But at the same time, if it could be that easy for him, then it would logically be just as easy for anyone else…right? And right now, Fai was assuring their safety, his son's safety. He didn't understand, but just knew, like a gut feeling. He just sat there, letting the other sleep for a short while, before another thought entered, remembering the chill of the morning air. Smirking, he let the other tumble from his shoulder, resulting in Fai bonking his head. Fai let out a yelp as his head connected, and pouted at Kurogane. Fai rubbed the back of his head. “What was that for?” he complained.

Kurogane didn’t say anything at first, picking up the other bridal style and carried Fai back inside. “Sleep in bed, Witch.” Fai had grown silent, as he watched Kurogane with surprised eyes. Once Fai was back in the bed, Kurogane could finally get some real sleep himself. He was quietly smirking as he drifted back off to sleep, his back turned towards the other. He figured he’d be paying for that drop later, but it had so been worth it right then, just to see Fai’s face. But then again, Fai had cost him much sleep, so he supposed they were about even.

 

Here, Fai kept up his womanly act. Kurogane knew the Witch had to bathe, but getting the level of privacy necessary to keep up his act wasn’t always easy. Especially if you pretend to be something you are not. The man could be a sneaky, slippery bastard and just manage to slip off without anyone else noticing. Fai had managed to actually sneak off that morning. He never found out quite where he went, but Fai had managed to sneak away for about half an hour before reappearing, cleaned and hair still damp. He had a bowl of water in one hand and because he had a playful streak in him, used it to splash Kurogane awake. Kurogane heard someone enter the room when he felt chilled waters splash on him, and he bolted out of the bed, growling at Fai, as he still gripped the soaked blankets “What was that for?”

“Get out of bed, Kuro-wet.” Fai was smirking at the black haired man before him, as if challenging him to take it further. Kurogane let it go, for now, grunting at the other, and speaks with no real rage in his voice, but some slight bemusement, a small playful smirk. “I’ll get you back for that, Witch.”

 

Kurogane had mixed feeling when they left Hanshin. He was curious about where they were going. He felt glad and sad about the loss of whatever it was that they made there...but it was better to have discovered it and enjoyed it than to have never tried the food at all, he thought. On the other hand, Sakura and Syaoran have seem to have gotten a lot closer after her 'below-the-weather' act. Despite being a Witch, Sakura seemed to be a good influence on his son. He was a little livelier, spoke a little more, but Sakura seemed to more or less, have him wrapped around her finger.

 

 

The Historical Corner:

(1) On April 16, there really was a lunar eclipse that peaked at 1:33 in the morning in our world too. (Referenced at: http://eclipse.gsfc.nasa.gov/LEcat5/LE1201-1300.html)

(2) seix –a common concealed blade that the Vikings would carry. Small, but very deadly.

(3) baths vs the black demons – Yes, they believed in washing. Depending on which culture, some were more bath everyday, while others were for luxury and others were only on the Sabbath day or to celebrate something, and so forth. Some like the Mongols, if I recall, believed that water was sacred and to bathe in it would defile it.

 

NICKNAMES:

Kuro-Father – Kuro-faðirr

Kuro-concerned – Kuro-hræddr (Okay so it normally means frightened, or afraid, but there was no worrywart, worry, concerned, or most of those in that range in Old Norse.)

Kuro-water – Kuro-vatn

Kuro-awake – Kuro-vata

Kuro-talkative – Kuro-máligr

Kuro-presumptuous – Kuro-mikillæti

Kuro-accusative – Kuro-kæra