storypaint | Fai (Fai gen)

Character: Fai D. Flowright (Tsubasa Reservoir Chronicles)
Disclaimer: Tsubasa Reservoir Chronicles belongs to CLAMP.
Note: Same continuity as Stalemate.

Excerpt: If Fai ever wearies of being able to read people, he'll never mention it. He is certainly never weary of hiding, of illusion, of redirection.

Fai catches Syaoran's eye and sees the way he is looking at Meiling-- a mixture of fear, confusion, and longing-- and he immediately summons up a fun reason to pull Sakura away. This is something she won't quite understand yet.

There is no rush to catch Kurogane, no reason to put the princess in danger, so they stroll down the street-- Bird Street, the sign says, and why that makes Sakura uneasy Fai doesn't really know, but he can see the stiffness in her movements.

If Fai ever wearies of being able to read people, he'll never mention it. He is certainly never weary of hiding, of illusion, of redirection. It is a dance, infinitely precise, amazingly adaptable, and if he misses a step he can always make the mistake seem purposeful. Sakura never suspects, nor Syaoran... Of course, the clown is always magical to children.

He tries not to think about things. Fai has discovered that this is the best course of action. He tries not to think about the white lies and the black lies and the smile he's perfected to look almost real. He tries not to think about the malevolent sleeping presence that looms over him, enveloping his dreams.

Fai tries not to think. He smiles instead.

After a moment Syaoran runs past them, and turns his head just enough so that the princess can see his confident smile. She smiles back, and Fai doesn't mention that Syaoran's is a fake smile, because confused or not, Syaoran has not lost sight of the goal, and by the time Fai, Sakura, and Mokona caught up to their Puppy Pair, those two have a plan to retrieve the feather in this world.

Fai grins, and calls Kurogane funny names, and wonders sometimes if the ninja understands that his affection and affectations are a thank-you. We always tease the ones we love, ne? Even when Fai is driving Kurogane crazy, Kurogane doesn't hesitate to protect the weak magician.

Fai does his best to make the ninja hate him on the outside. That will make things easier for Kurogane if he should have to kill Fai (and between Ashura-o and Kuro-rin, Fai knows Kurogane would give him a more merciful death). Fai isn't quite sure why he feels things might come to this, but he's learned to trust his instincts.

The boys have a plan, so Fai immediately adds himself and Sakura into it. He wants to teach her that she doesn't have to feel helpless. She can do things to aid the cause, even if it's simply waitressing at the various places at which they work or sometimes the places they run. He's never had to think about why he wants to teach her and mentor her. She's Sakura.

Mokona sits on Fai's head, a comfortable weight, a reminder that another of their group is much more than it seems (there are still several dozen of its 108 Secret Techniques that have not been revealed, and Fai suspects that many of them are quite special).

He gives each member of his special "family" a hug before they turn in that night. Even though it delays bedtime by fifteen minutes while Syaoran convinces Kurogane to put down his sword, it is worth it.

Fai never thinks about why he wants to make sure that they know he loves them (because he doesn't want to think about the possibility of not waking in the morning, but it's there).