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It was another warm day in Clow. Syaoran and Sakura were off adventuring the outskirts with Kurogane and Fai walking behind, more chaperone than anything. The princess could go anywhere in Clow without worry of her safety while Syaoran was excitedly following her as she wanted to show him something she found. Mokona was bouncing along, her energy matching Sakura’s enthusiasm.
“They're pretty cute,” Fai commented softly.
He looked over when Kurogane had not made an acknowledging grunt or commented. Instead, he had plucked some banded lizard that had decided to take refuge on his boot off and lifted it up so he could get a better look at it. The lizard's legs looked for something to grip as it stared unblinking at the figure that held it by its belly. Fai smiled fondly as Kurogane indulged his curiosity more when they were in what counted as a safe world.
“You're pretty cute too,” Fai said, leaning and pressing a kiss to his cheek.
The lizard went sailing back towards the sands and decided to try its luck on the other boot as Kurogane's cheeks gained more color and it had nothing to do with the desert sun. He could blame it anyway.
“Hurry up, before that little creature looks for shade on your head.”
Fai laughed fondly and smiled more when Kurogane made no effort to hurry up. Instead, he reached out to grab his hand.
They had found a Museum of Science and kids - Syaoran - got in free. Mokona was pretending to be his stuffed animal as he explored the different exhibits. Fossils and other artifacts that would have made his Father excited, a butterfly garden, a climate exhibit, an exhibit on water locomotion and a new exhibit featuring plants that could be used as medicine or poisons were all available to explore.
It was easy to get lost in the multitude of halls and after exploring the new exhibit, Syaoran said he was going to check out the butterfly garden and see if they have any of the same plants there.
They followed after like parents of one ambitious child, and Fai softly brought up the plants. “Do you think I'm like those plants?”
Kurogane didn't have to question it. “Well, yeah. It's much easier to kill but you'd much rather protect and heal. So you just find alternative methods, like bandaids or when you created ice because the kid got hit with a coconut.”
Fai paused - enough the lack of familiar steps alerted Kurogane and he turned to see if Fai found something else here to get distracted by. Nope, he was staring wide eyed.
“What is it?”
“That… that's one of the sweetest compliments you've given me.”
Kurogane silently estimated how long it'd take Syaoran to notice they had fallen behind. Long enough, he determined, and stepped closer.
“You could do with hearing them more often,” Kurogane said casually before he leaned down and stole a kiss.
Fai wasn't sure what surprised him more, the blatant disregard for public affection that Kurogane generally shied away from or the idea that Kurogane had a lot more thoughtful things to say and just forgot to say them aloud.
“Cmon, let's see if we can’t find one of those plants that suits you.”
Through the blush and genuine smile, Fai grabbed Kurogane's hand and pulled him in close for another kiss.