A/N: You can read the fic that inspired this one at truedespair69 .livejournal. com /5270. html #cutid1 (without the spaces) :D

Of course he's jealous. Kurogane sees no reason why he shouldn't be, to be frank. He knows that it doesn't mean anything – most of the time, at least – but the fact remains that Fai flirts with everyone, all the time. It's how he is. Kurogane isn't sure he even knows how to talk to people normally. And while there is nothing he can do about that, there is nothing that says that he can't make sure people don't get the wrong impression.

Or at least that they know what they're up against.

Fai laughs at him, of course, and sometimes rolls his eyes and says something teasing. Sometimes he almost looks annoyed, and once he actually gets a sharp, "She was just trying to be nice, you know. You might even want to try it sometime, Kuro-pyon."

At least there's still a nickname attached, so Kurogane knows Fai isn't really angry with him, but it still makes him back off. Reluctantly, and with a lot of muttering, but he still does it. And then watches in glowering silence as Fai chats amiably with the pretty girl with the bright pink hair serving the ice-cream, and feels his insides burning and his fingers aching for the hilt of his sword. Fai laughs, and he can't take it anymore. He gets up and leaves without a word, and then has to wait for an hour outside in the sweltering heat.

He knows that's Fai's way of punishing him, but he doesn't say a word about it as the mage bounces outside and tries to force-feed him some raspberry sorbet. Neither does Fai.

After that he tries to be more discreet, but it's hard. After all, Fai is a beautiful man, and he's also overwhelmingly charming and intriguing. It seems as if everybody and their mother – quite literally – are interested in him, and Kurogane really can't blame them. He doesn't like it, but how can he help but see what they see? And how can he stop himself from making the comparison they all make when they see Fai and him together, or coming up with the same conclusion?

How can two people be more unlike? And what is it about him that Fai really wants?

He isn't fun, other than in the sense that he's fun to tease. He's far from charming, not much conversation, and he's quite sure his looks aren't that remarkable either. He's strong, but Fai doesn't care much about strength, and he certainly needs no protector. He's the perfect warrior, but Fai doesn't even like fighting. And there for a moment Kurogane's confidence crumbles...

…but only enough to expose a very solid, unshakable core.

Because this isn't really about what Fai wants, as such. If Kurogane really had cared so much about what Fai wanted… well, then the mage would be dead by now. No, this is about what Fai needs. And what he needs is solidity, and loyalty, and love that will never falter or fail. He needs someone that can keep him happy and safe, because fuck knows he's seen enough misery and loss to last several lifetimes. And Kurogane knows with a certainty that these are all things that he can provide.

He also knows that this is something all those people Fai flirts with don't know, things they quite possibly wouldn't even understand, and so… well, once in a while he just has to explain things to them in a way that can understand. Even if Fai rather cheerfully points out that if Kuro-puppy was any more possessive, he'd probably be peeing on his leg.

And then there is that time when suddenly there is a man flirting with him. Kurogane doesn't notice at first – after all, why should he be looking for it? – but then the man raises his eyebrows and nods over Kurogane's shoulder.

"Should I back off? Blondie over there certainly thinks so."

Kurogane frowns, confused, and throws a glance over his shoulder. And for the merest split second, he catches sight of the narrow-eyed, ice-cold glare with which Fai is apparently trying to make the man next to him drop dead – and it's so vicious, he's almost surprised to see it isn't working. Then Fai realizes that he's watching, and waves to him with a sunny smile, but Kurogane knows what he just saw. And he also knows that Fai is faking a smile again for the first time in months.

"Your boyfriend?" demands the man, and Kurogane turns back to him. He doesn't wait for an answer, but instead leans closer, placing two fingers underneath Kurogane's chin. He's so shocked, he even forgets to bat the intruding hand away. "Jealous, is he?" his apparently-suitor says, lowering his eyelashes seductively. "Does he have any reason to be?"

And then Fai is there, draping himself over Kurogane's shoulder and smiling a smile of pure honey and arsenic at the man in front of him. His hand shoots out, fast as a cobra striking, and grabs the stranger's hand around the wrist, removing it from Kurogane's person just as the realization that he should be doing that finally manages to sink into the ninja's brain.

"No, I don't," Fai purrs, still smiling sweetly. "But I've been known to not always be too reasonable. Please don't try to find out just how unreasonable I can be. He's mine."

The man takes it rather well; he just shrugs and stands up, although he does rub his wrist a bit where Fai's nails have left marks. "It was worth a shot," he says with a small smile.

"His is," Fai agrees with a pointed look, and with that the stranger takes his leave. For a few moments there is only uncomfortable silence, and then Kurogane snorts.

"And you complain about me," he mutters.

"Yes I do," Fai says slowly, as if talking to a child. "That's because you're ridiculous, Kuro-bun."

"And you're not?" Kurogane retorts. "It wasn't even as if I was flirting back. But you flirt with people all the time."

Fai sighs and takes the chair that the stranger had vacated. "Of course I do," he says, as if it's the most obvious thing in the world. "It's the best way of getting you to act ridiculous."

Kurogane stares, incredulous. "What?"

Fai smiles at him, but even though it is quite real now, there is something about it that looks... sad. "I want you to act like that, Kuro-sama. I want you to growl at them, or grab your sword and glare. I even don't mind very much when you try to drag me off. And I certainly don't mind it when you try to remind me just who I belong to."

"Why?" Kurogane demands in a low, irritable growl.

Fai brightens up for a second. "Well, mostly it's because you're hilarious when you act like that. But-" he adds as Kurogane makes an angry sound and grabs for his collar, "- I also do it to make sure."

"Sure of what? I swear, if this is some stupid game of yours-"

"I do it," Fai interrupts as if Kurogane hadn't even spoken, "to make sure that... that you still care about that I flirt with others. That you still... that you still want to keep me. That you'll still fight for me." He's still smiling, and he doesn't even stop when Kurogane finally manages to shake himself out of his shocked stupor and unceremoniously smacks him over the head. "I know it is... silly. But I... I just don't see what you even want with someone like me, Kuro-sama. And every time someone looks at you, or smiles at you, I can't help thinking that maybe you'd be happier with them, or someone else. And then... well, I just want to make sure."

"You're a damn idiot," Kurogane replies in disgust. And then, reluctantly, because he refuses to be a hypocrite: "You might not always be what I want. But you're exactly what I need. And you always will be."

Fai's eyes widen a bit, and then his smile softens. It becomes less brittle and bright, more strong and warm; like the earth, like a heartbeat, like touch. "I see," is all he says, and then he leans forward and presses a gentle kiss to Kurogane's cheek. Then he leans back, and a bit of that glittering viciousness is back in his eyes, now accompanied by a smile that makes Kurogane's heart do something funny. He feels his fists clenching as if by themselves. "Besides," Fai says softly, "I'm already sharing you with someone. I'm going to make sure there is no one else."

And now it's Kurogane's turn to roll his eyes. "You really are an idiot if you're bringing Tomoyo into this."

"Am I, Kuro-rin? Jealousy is a many-headed beast, I've heard. Now, are you coming?"

There is something about Fai's eyes when they are like that which is rather... nice. Something he definitely won't say no to, certainly. And as Fai all but drags him out of there, Kurogane is beginning to wonder if Fai perhaps has yet another reason for making him jealous so frequently.

It might be worth exploring.