A|N: First uploaded story! Contains references for Tsubasa Reservoir Chronicle after the crew reach Tokyo. Kinda cheesy (as you can probably see, I'm not that great with titles either...). My weakness is overusing dialogue, so I tried to do less dialogue and more narration or whatever it's called. Hope it's not too bad. R&R? Constructive criticism, s'il te plait! Thanks!

Need
By M.H.

Fai lay on the bed staring at the ceiling with his eye. He tried recognizing shapes in the ceiling, but soon his vision was blurred by the welling up of tears. He gently traced his finger over the bandages that covered half of his face, feeling the dampness of the blood soaked in the gauze and taking note of the indent in the center that reminded him of why he was where he was.

Fai snapped his attention to the sound of soft footsteps approaching his room. He feigned sleep as he heard the door open. Just from the aura and the characteristic, meditated breathing, Fai knew that Kurogane had come to check on him.

"I know you're awake," Kurogane said softly, his low voice reverberating in the still night.

"Heh," Fai answered, smiling into the dimness. A smile so fake and yet so natural to him. A smile he used all the time.

Kurogane sat down on the edge of the bed. "You…" he started, trailing off.

"I'm fine, Kuro-sama," Fai responded cheerfully as he turned away onto his side, allowing his hair to fall across the upper half of his face. "I just need some rest."

Kurogane eyed the magician with a furrowed brow, which was his usual way of showing concern. "Do you want a drink?" he asked, getting ready to offer his wrist.

"No."

Kurogane paused and expected the blond to say more. The abrupt answer surprised him briefly, but he sensed that Fai was not in a mood to be speaking, so Kurogane pushed himself back onto his feet and paced towards the door. "If you need anything…" he offered in a volume that was almost a whisper. He couldn't finish his sentence. He was not accustomed to showing that he cared.

Fai sat up and looked at the other man. "Why?" he inquired. After a few moments of silence, he repeated his question. "Why?"

Kurogane looked over his shoulder at Fai. "What?"

"You saved me."

"You're starting this again?" Kurogane closed the distance between him and Fai and stood in front of the bed, staring down at the wounded man. He grabbed Fai by the collar and hissed threateningly, "Don't try anything stupid. I already told you I won't let you die so easily." He pushed the magician back onto the bed and held his wrist in front of the blond's face. "You heard what Yuuko said if you don't drink."

With an unexpected feat of strength, Fai seized the front of Kurogane's shirt and threw him onto the bed, pinning him down by the shoulders. "You heard what she said too," Fai forced through gritted teeth. "I can choose not to drink your blood." He breathed heavily, trying to contain his anger. "'No matter what methods you use.'"

The ninja stared at the man above him, his mouth slightly open to protest, but no words could be summoned at that point. He felt a dull sense of congestion in his chest, a murmuring pain that had only occurred one time in the past when he saw the life flowing out of his mother and the detached arm gripping Ginryuu. He had not known then that this murmuring pain would grow into a greater, piercing jolt; back then, he had lost his mind immediately after seeing…

Kurogane was interrupted from his thoughts when the mage's scowl disappeared.

Fai collapsed upon Kurogane and heaved, breaths rasping from his throat. His cheek rested upon the crook of the ninja's neck, and even with the strongest determination from his mind, he couldn't push himself up from the other man's body. He was helpless. And the feeling of blood pulsing within those vessels was alluring; the scent was captivating; the urge, the need, was just too much.

With all self-control lost, Fai gnawed at the skin of the taller man's neck, and with a slow scrape from the extended nail of his forefinger the delicious red fluid pumped into his mouth, onto his tongue. His thirst grew into a frenzy and he was soon sucking and lapping up the crimson. He wanted more. More.

Kurogane sighed heavily and closed his eyes, averting his attention from the sting of his neck. He slowly extended his arms up into the air, hesitating for a moment before casting aside his insecurities. One hand buried itself in the blond's hair; the other rested itself on the blond's lower back. He felt comfort in the closeness, and the ache in his chest subsided.

Kurogane didn't realize how much the mage meant to him until he thought Fai was going to die. Yet even now, as Fai drank from him, he could not quite understand what his feelings were. All he knew was that he wanted Fai by his side. He needed that man in his life, and he wasn't going to let anything or anyone take that man away from him. He will never let his grasp loosen from those he cared for.

The biggest threat to Fai's life at the moment was Fai himself, and Kurogane hoped to change that. Someday, he will teach that mage to take care of himself. However, at that moment, simply because Fai was alive, Kurogane was content. Kurogane needed Fai. And, just at that moment, even if it wasn't for the same reason, Fai needed Kurogane too. That was enough for the ninja. For now.