Disclaimer: I sadly do not own Tsubasa or any of its characters…of course that doesn't stop me from trying to… Jk Jk!!!

The rain was gentle, brushing teasingly along his bare hands and feet, wreaking havoc with his already tussled hair. He turned his face skyward and felt the tickle of rain spread to his cheeks.

He lay still then, imagining himself sinking into the deep wet grass, and then slowly being covered in soil and still sinking. He imagined dissolving so far into the dirt that his own heartbeat became part of this world's own steady pulse.

And when he opened his eyes and saw sky he didn't even try to hide his disappointment.

He sat up and held his head in his hands for a moment. "It's just time" he murmured.

Beyond pain, sadness and even fear, Fai slowly drew himself up.

When Fai didn't return from his "quick walk" after an hour and a half, Kurogane finally lost the battle with his guilty conscious and went to go look for him. Dinner would be ready soon…

Heights fascinated Fai. The whole world changed from above. The distinction between things blurred. Barriers disappeared. Most of all Fai liked the separation. He liked to watch without being a nuisance, to observe the world totally unseen.

So Fai was a particular fan of this cliff. Sheer and silver in the continuing drizzle it towered above the ocean, ragging against jagged rocks. Fai stood with his toes over the precipice and felt nothing.

Kurogane didn't mind rain. But the cold drizzle made him regret thinking that leaving the house without a coat as a good idea. He hoped to find Fai soon. Whatever Sakura had been cooking smelled damn irresistible, and his feet were getting cold.

Suddenly, Kurogane could hear the sounds of the ocean. Or an ocean, he corrected mentally, this wasn't home after all.

Fai never even closed his eyes. He never jumped either. He just sort of fell, or really, he just stopped standing and let his body crumple. As the water seemed to rush up at him, Fai felt liberated. It was like floating, this falling, or flying without control. And he was tired of control. He released a pent up breath, and felt…free. For the first time an easy, carefree smile played on his lips. Something welled up inside of him, and it wasn't until the end that Fai recognized what it was. Laughter.

For a long time Kurogane just stood there, unblinking, as tears, unwanted and unwelcome poured down his cheeks. The cliff side scenery remained unaltered. The grass twitched lightly in the wind and leaves in the trees swayed only slightly. Yet Kurogane felt the missing piece as if a whole section of the universe had been torn away. Maybe just a whole section of his universe.

He drew a deep shuddering breath as from far below, nearly masked by bombastic waves, came the echo of ghostly laughter.

The rain settled. Above him the first rays of sunlight parted the grey clouds, like wisps of pale yellow hair.