Hay guys,

Today's post is kind of unprecedented. I am going to post fanfic.

I still need to practice my writing a hell of a lot, but I thought I might give this one an outing on the internet anyway.

This fic is entirely in response to Tsubasa chapter 148. It's a 'what could happen next' scenario, and will therefore be completely wrong by the time the next chapter comes out.

Also, if you haven't guessed already, this fic contains major spoilers for Tsubasa chapter 148. Be warned.

“Sakuraaaaaaa!”

Syaoran’s scream tore raggedly through the air.

She was gone before any of them knew what had happened. The vortex engulfed her shuddering body, sword and all, leaving behind nothing but a spatter of blood on the gritty platform.

Fay landed neatly, a few paces from where Syaoran had crumpled to the floor; everything seemed to have become dim and remote; seconds lasted for hours.

“Sakuraaa!” The boy’s voice, raw and broken, splintered around his ears. The screams quickly disintegrated into wordless wails and jagged sobs, a white noise that permeated everything.

Fay watched through a pallid haze, the old fingers of guilt and despair crawling icily through his chest, suffocating him from the inside out.

The platform lurched as the stairs were brought back into place and soon footsteps coursed around them. A familiar gait loomed into view, accompanied by a familiar voice.

“Oi.”

Syaoran looked up at Kurogane with smudged eyes and mouth drawn open, young features fixed in a contortion of grief.

“Go get the manjuu. We’ll need the witch if we’re going to save her.”

The boy gagged on another sob before heaving himself up on shaking arms and careening off the platform and down the stairs.

The wailing continued in Syaoran’s wake, and Fay realised, absently, that it must be coming from him. The familiar bulk loomed once more, and familiar fingers encircled his arm.

Something switched abruptly in Fay’s consciousness, and suddenly everything that had been swimming in the background came buzzing to the fore. He sagged, limp as sodden rags in Kurogane’s grasp.

“Kill me.”

“Kill me. Please kill me.” The words tumbled out of his mouth, pleading, and begging, and mounting, and mounting, until he almost couldn’t breathe with the saying of them. “Please, please. I don’t deserve to live. Please. You must. I don’t deserve it. I’ve never deserved it. I have to die. You must kill me. Please. Kill me. Kill me, kill me, kill me.”

Kurogane stood like a rock against the tide.

“No.”

Fay looked up at him, blanching in horror.

“We’ve already lost the princess, we’re not going to lose you too.” And Fay was dragged up, and away, and off to speak to the witch.