Heh, ^^

Well… I cheated. I read that all you need is to capture Earthy to start the Final Judgment, so! There we go! I didn’t want to write Syaoran capturing the cards…

Chapter 12

He was doing a fairly good job of evading those crystals, since he’d only gotten hit once! Still, he couldn’t defend forever!

Think, Syaoran, think! What’s… oh!

A whisper in his mind… Moon-based cards do not affect me…

Who was that from? Well, never mind, it didn’t quite matter! Almost all of his cards were moon based, but maybe this one… “Thunder!”

Yue cursed as he began evading the lightning. How had Syaoran gotten that without his notice?

He had underestimated his opponent…

Syaoran nodded. “Firey!” It would drain quite a bit of his magic, but if it worked…!

The flames spiraled around the moon guardian, and yet they didn’t burn him, but they kept him securely contained, caged… interesting…

Yue had the oddest sense of déjà vu as he was lowered to the ground.

Syaoran smiled, a genuine smile, as the flames dispersed and he hugged Yue tightly. The moon guardian blinked.

This was… odd. But nice, as Syaoran was actually initiating contact… still, now was not the time. “Close your eyes.”

Syaoran obediently did so, and Yue sighed.

“I, the Final Judgment Maker Yue, accept Li Syaoran as my new Master.”

It was only later that he realized Yue had used his full name…

He had lost.

Strangely, it didn’t quite bother him…

Why? Was it because he was used to Syaoran’s presence? Or was it something else?

Syaoran hadn’t turned into some domineering freak, but from the glances the boy kept giving him, Yue knew that it would take some explaining later… like… ‘Do I have to continue to sleep with you so your magic energy won’t run out?’

They could deal with that later though…

For now, he was strangely content, as they lay entwined beneath satin sheets… no, it really changed nothing….

He had guessed correctly after all.

He doesn’t know…

Yue turned to see Return peering at him. “Know?”

You have to obey his every command, since he is now Card Master… why didn’t you tell him?

“What purpose would it serve?”

You’re still frightened. Time chided, coming out to join Return. You are afraid he’ll leave you like Clow-sama did…

Yue’s eyes hardened in a frosty glare. “How dare you…”

We dare Yue-sama, because we wish for you to be happy! Return burst out. Surely you understand that?

… Happy?

How did they think – how could he possibly experience that emotion now that Clow-sama was dead? And yet…

When he looked at the boy in his arms, he knew that he was lying…

I do care…

You see?

I knew it would work out.

No you didn’t! You were worried! Cloud told Snow, who shrugged.

Yue watched the cards bicker amongst themselves, shaking his head slightly. Their intentions might have been odd, but they truly had his best interests at heart, even if he didn’t quite deserve it…

No matter.

He gently shook Syaoran awake, feeling a slight pang of guilt at the tired look. He was still young, and now he had this burden to bear, but… it would be all right.

“Yue?” Syaoran’s voice sounded sleep-blurred. “It’s too early to get up…”

“This is important, Syaoran-sama.”

That caught his attention. “What? Yue, you don’t have to call me that!”

“You’re my new Master now.” Yue stated coldly.

Syaoran shrugged. “What does it change? Do you think I’m going to force you to obey my every command or something?”

Mercurial eyes slowly widened, “Don’t you hate me for what I’ve done?”

“… No.” Hate? Hate was a dark emotion. He didn’t hate Yue, far from it…. He was almost fond of Yue, and he hadn’t wanted to kill him… was it friendship?

Perhaps… but it felt slightly different from what he felt for the Cards…

Was it… no, it couldn’t be.

He shook his head. It didn’t matter. If what Yue spoke was truth, then… “You’ll stay with me from now on? You’ll never leave me?”

Yue wondered at this odd phrasing, but he nodded curtly.

“I’m glad…”

“Then you don’t hate me, if you wish for me to stay.”

“No.”

It was pleasant, he decided, as he sank back into bed and snuggled into Yue’s embrace, and they would learn to deal with this new situation, and it wasn’t so bad, really, and now that he was Card Master…

Oh!

“What about Ruby Moon?”

“What about her?”

“Er… I was supposed to assassinate you, and…”

“It matters not, now that you have become Card Master.” Assassinate him? His poor half-sister was more deluded than he had originally assumed…

Oddly enough though, the revelation left him curiously unmoved. “But you didn’t kill me, did you, Syaoran-sama?”

“No, and would you please stop calling me that? It’s making me nervous… just call me Syaoran, Yue.”

“Very well, Syaoran…”

“See?”

Yue blinked. “Syaoran… I’m lost. I feel that… this new arrangement… it’s odd.”

Syaoran sighed. “I know, I know… I wish… well, it was nice not having to make any decisions myself.”

“I’ve been cruel to you…”

“You were lonely.” Syaoran shrugged. “But I know that you need me. That’s enough.” He smiled as he snuggled deeper into Yue’s embrace. “It’s all right, Yue. Everything will work out.”

And he closed his eyes and allowed himself to believe it.

Everything… will be all right.

End Chapter/End Fic

Completed 5/27/05

Phantomness: Well, I liked it!
Yue: You’re out to make me a cold-hearted bastard, aren’t you?
Syaoran: … I think so