Author: Red Fiona
Disclaimer: I don't own the characters, their situation or the worlds they travel in, CLAMP do. No money is being made from this piece of fiction.
Fandom: Tsubasa Reservoir Chronicles.
Characters: Fai and Kurogane, with mention of Sakura and Sayoran as well as others.
Rating: PG to PG-12, nothing worse than what's in the manga.
Content: Romance, drama and Fai/Kurogane.
Spoilers: Up to the end of the manga.
Notes: The dialogue at the start is taken direct from the manga.

Fai and Kurogane were walking through the town square of Clow when Mokona bounced up to them. The white pork bun told Fai and Kurogane that Sakura had found out about Sayoran, and the price he and Watanuki were going to pay for their last wish. She had gone to speak to Sayoran. Kurogane knew that time was growing short. "That means it's going to be us making the next decision."

"About what we do from now on?"

"Yes." They'd known this moment would come. Kurogane was relieved that they had been given enough time here in Clow for the worst of their injuries to heal. That didn't make the next choice any easier though.

Mokona hopped off to talk to one of the local fruit-sellers, probably in the hope of being given free food. It had timed the departure so that it had no part of this conversation. Kurogane suspected Mokona of being smarter than it pretended.

Kurogane would have avoided the conversation if he could have, there was no good way to start it and it wasn't as though they had a truly free choice because they both knew they were tied together. Fai would have to be where Kurogane was, or die a slow and painful death by starvation. Kurogane would rather have Fai by his side because it was Fai's choice, not because Fai was forced to be there. He didn't know if Fai had recovered enough of himself to voice an opinion.

Kurogane himself was torn. There was his duty to the Princess. Even if he could trust Souma to do a good job of guarding her, and even if Tomoyo didn't mind, he'd sworn to protect Tomoyo. There was no going back on his word. Then there was his loyalty to Sayoran. The kid had given up so much, and would give even more, more than he could afford to give, if he had no one to keep an eye on him. He thought that Sakura would be fine here, Youkita would let nothing harm her, so there was no reason to worry for her safety. Not like that anyway. No, Sakura would be fine as long as they could keep Sayoran in one piece.

Normally Kurogane was not the kind of man who forced decision-making on to others, but he understood the appeal of doing just that right now. He had no idea what the right thing to do was, if there even was a right thing, and not two equal wrongs. "As I see it, there are two options." Fai nodded. They must have been obvious to him too. "Any ideas?" Fai looked as though he were thinking. "And if you say whatever you want , so help me I'll ..."

"You'll do what exactly?" Fai smiled. His old smile. Or near enough. The one that said Fai was about to do whatever it was that Kurogane had expressly forbidden, and that Fai was going to delight in teasing and tormenting Kurogane. Kurogane never thought he would have been glad to see it, but he was.

"I'll think of something." Kurogane paused. "Do we go with Sayoran or do we go to Nihon?" Those were the only places Kurogane wanted to be.

There was no hesitation on Fai's part. "We stay with Sayoran. Someone has to look after him. You know he won't take any care of himself." Fai knew he could be happy with Kurogane wherever they went, but he also knew that if they didn't travel with Sayoran, he would never be able to live with the guilt and he doubted whether Kurogane would be able to either.

"You're right."

"I know." Fai smiled and kissed Kurogane on the cheek.

It was not the life that Kurogane had imagined for himself, but then again, none of his dreams ever lived up to reality. He had revenged himself on his parents's killers, and that was the thing that had driven him all these years. The Princess had wanted him to learn that there was more to life than violence, and maybe there was, but having got his vengeance was definitely the first step in being able to appreciate that.

There were things he'd lost, most noticeably his arm, and he regretted those, especially his arm, he'd never get used to the artificial replacement, but there were things that he'd gained. He thought of the wizard who was with him now, of the princess, and the kid. He wasn't the sort of sentimental fool who believed that bad things were ever made up for by anything, but this new life, it would do.

End Notes: Thanks to everyone who has stayed with this fic all the way through, and sorry for the large gaps between chapters. I'd like to say thank you for all the kind feedback so far, and I hope you like this last chapter.