Disclaimer: I no own, you no sue.

Author's Babble: This was originally a Christmas present for a dear, dear friend, Xiao Lun/Sakura. Churned it out at random because I wuv Cain and Merry (not together, no O.o), as I've always been a sucker for close sibling relationships, and at the time I was having an angsty older-sibling moment, as I've a little sister of my own. Anyhoo, onward, onward.

Black Domino

It's very late, Merry.

I know Riff would be upset with me for letting you fall asleep in my chair again, and that I really ought to get you to bed, but I can't bring myself to rise. This will, no doubt, get me a scolding from him when morning comes.

Then again, I've seen what you are like when disturbed from your dreams, going off into an indignant tirade that could put any mad queen of play or legend to shame. He is the lesser of the two evils, I think, and I'm perfectly content to remain here until he comes.

A ghost of a smile plays across your doll's face, its features amber-cast in the firelight. Visiting with the man in the moon again, are you, Merry? Does he pull out your chair for you and serve you tea? Take you dancing on the beams of light ages gentler than those of the sun?

I don't know. Those things are not of my world.

My fingers weave themselves through the spill of your hair, gilt and shining against the blackness of the cape I have wound around us both. As your head lies pillowed on my chest, I almost fancy I can hear the little stone heart within start to beat again, slowly, like a funeral drum. Something is springing to my eyes, a hot, prickling sensation I've known only seldom, yet it refuses to fall. I suppose it's just as well. My tears were taken from me, and I know you worry as soon as you see my face start to, as you amusingly put it, "droop."

I love and fear for you, my sister, but you are not mine. You are not of my world. I will never be of yours, no matter how badly I want you to bring me there. You cannot take big brother with you when you walk, every morning, into the comfort of the sunrise. I'm the shadow that lives on the edges of it, you see. I'm marked forever, the black domino that's missing the other half of the pair. How long will I be able to shield you before the line comes tumbling, tumbling, tumbling down?

I shake my head; it aches. Or is that my heart? My little stone heart. This is why I never wish for anything, see? Every wish one bothers to make has already been lost, coming back as nothing more than unnecessary pain...

Oh, forgive me. Dear, darling Merryweather, forgive me. I mean every bit of dear and darling because you are everything dear and darling to me, but I'm so tired… So very tired.

Allow me a few moments to close my eyes, and dream of light.

Fin