Title: Sponge Bath
Prompt:(Tenderly running your fingers through your lover’s hair.)
Rating: M for nakedness
Tags:(Nakedness, mentions of physical injury, hospital)
This fic came out short. But I hope you find it enjoyable.


When he first woke up in Nihon, he was startled to see Fai look so well. The android had let his “human imitation” features deteriorate since the incident with Syaoran. But the Fai at his bedside was cleaned and perfumed. He wore new clothes, obviously picked out by Tomoyo. His overgrown hair was in a neat ponytail. That annoyingly ever-present “customer service” smile was gone. Fai had expressed his worry in his own way, and showed Kurogane a sincere smile.

While he slowly woke up for the second time in Nihon, Kurogane almost wondered if that was all a pleasant, hopeful dream. Then Kurogane got a look at his surroundings.

The engineer could see Fai sunbathing in the hospital’s window. He was straddling a chair, back bare and aimed at the window. The darker solar panels were visible on his back, soaking in the bright Nihon sun.

The furisode that Tomoyo had made was carefully folded on another chair. Fai’s face was relaxed, rather than the neutral “robot” expression he’d worn the last month in between his “service android” blank smile. This expression was different; peaceful; meditative. And it was easy to see his expression, since he was staring right at Kurogane.

“It only figures that the best way to wake up Kuro-sama was to take my clothes off,” the blond android teased, winking at Kurogane.

Kurogane flustered, like he always did to Fai’s teasing. But something achingly warm bloomed in his chest, hearing Fai talk like that again. “Oi. It’s not like I asked you to charge your solar cells in my window.”

Kurogane pushed the button that moved the bed to a sitting position. He could see that Fai had at least kept his pants on. The engineer knew from previous repairs, and Fai’s own word, that he was anatomically correct.

Fai gasped slightly. “Does Kuro-tan not want me at his sickbed? And here I was going to wait on you, hand and foot! The doctors even said I could give you a bath when you woke up! And I was looking forward to that,” Fai said.

The android gestured about, and Kurogane was happy to watch the android filled with life again. He tried not to show it too much. It was probably obvious.

Still, the engineer grumbled. “Well if you’re so set on it, then I won’t tell you to stop. I guess I probably smell like a sick bed.”

Fai came closer to Kurogane, to the edge of his bed. The standing android loomed over Kurogane slightly. The engineer didn’t move, watching Fai’s movements. Waiting to see what the android would do now.

He touched Kurogane’s face gently, then leaned to close the space between his own face and Kurogane’s hair, inhaling audibly. “You smell alive.”

This close, Kurogane could smell the clean perfume of soaps and shampoo, and the almost fresh-car smell of Fai’s synthetic skin. The engineer quietly agreed that the android smelled alive, too.

Fai ran his fingers through Kurogane’s hair. As short as the engineer usually kept it for practicality, it was still long enough for Fai to touch, to tug, and to massage at the scalp beneath.

“Can you forgive me for being an idiot?” Fai asked quietly.

“If you can forgive me for what I said…. About your past.”


“Kuro-sama gives good advice. I might even listen to it now,” Fai lilted his voice teasingly. He began undressing Kurogane.

Kurogane almost expected that this would be one of Those moments, and quickly tried to guess if his body was recovered enough to be up for it. But Fai’s touch was practical and gentle. The android used his own strength to help disrobe Kurogane, easing him to lean naked against the upright bed.

“Kuro-sama will have a hard time repairing me with one arm.” Fai said as he grabbed a basin or warm water and a washcloth.

Kurogane couldn’t hide the small gasp. In the past, Fai had accepted Kurogane’s repairs only grudgingly and when he couldn’t function without after a fight. He didn’t need to ask if this meant Fai wanted Kurogane to repair him, now.

“Even with one arm, I’m still the best engineer in the galaxy.”

This time Kurogane reached for Fai’s face. He tugged the ribbon out of the android’s long hair. He was the only android that could grow his hair, and Kurogane had been itching to touch it and feel the evidence of Fai taking care of himself again. Fai leaned closer over Kurogane, follow the slight tug of his hair. But Kurogane had just wanted a lungful of Fai. To feel with every sense that he was alive, that they both were.

Fai’s smile was close. Kurogane could see the contentment and happiness. He did his best to express it in his own grim face.

After a minute, Fai got back to the sponge bath, and Kurogane let himself relax with the comfort of it. He couldn’t have wished for anything better.

The end.


~the end.


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