This was written for notasinglesoul5 in response to my Timestamp/Where Are They Now meme, where people could choose a story and request to see what happens five years later. I figured I might as well post it up as an epilogue here too.

The first night after their return to Nihon, Tomoyo threw a banquet in their honor.

Everyone congratulated Kurogane on his safe return, of course, but the main focus of attention was on Fai. After all, most of the court had only gotten a brief glimpse of him on his previous stay in Nihon; the news that he was to become a permanent resident aroused a buzz of gossipy excitement among the perpetually bored nobility. From the moment they entered the dining hall Fai was the center of a cloud of attention.

Fai soaked up all the attention and responded with a charming grace, displaying manners sufficient to soothe all but the grumpiest masters of ceremony. People constantly congratulated him on his nihongo, spoken with a trace of accent but with enviable precision, and complimented him on his lovely formal kimono of gold and green, the panels depicting a high cloud-swept sky over a peaceful rice paddy. (The kimono had been a gift from Tomoyo, of course; the princess had nearly been beside herself with glee to have, as she put it, someone who could wear green convincingly.)

The tone sounded for dinner, and they all took their seats; Kurogane at Tomoyo's right hand, since this dinner was in their honor, and Fai at her left. Fai wielded his chopsticks flawlessly, not dropping a single grain of rice or spilling a single drop of broth (personally, Kurogane suspected cheating; nobody could be THAT careful while eating.) A word in the senior butler's ear for the evening had ensured that no dishes containing raw fish would be served to the Princess's guests, so Fai was able to eat his way through the dozens of tiny, beautifully presented dishes without incident.

At the same time he managed to keep up casual, insightful conversation with his neighbor on the other side from Kurogane, the topic mainly revolving around some of the tamer adventures they'd had in the worlds they traveled through. Kurogane, initially poised on a wire over Fai's initial reception at court, slowly relaxed as the dinner went on until he was finally able to keep up a quiet conversation with Tomoyo without hyperfocusing on his lover.

They talked with the other guests, ate their way through countless tiny courses, drank far too much of the Princess' good sake, and watched the musicians and ribbon-dancers that danced between the tables for their entertainment. And when at last the banquet broke up, everyone called out well-wishes to them as they half-stumbled to the rooms that had been set aside for them.

"You were great tonight," Kurogane blurted out to Fai, as they knelt in the cool darkness on the mats between their futons. Fai paused for a moment, his hands on the lapels of Kuyrogane's kimono near his throat, and tilted his head consideringly. The moonlight coming through the slatted windows illuminated his grin.

"Why, Kuro-formal," Fai said slyly - even in native Nihongo he still found ways to mangle Kurogane's name, even though Kurogane could swear he'd never taught him how - "were you worried about how I'd behave?"

Kurogane wasn't sure how to answer that; there was a mischevious note in Fai's voice and he was too drunk to navigate a minefield of conversation with Fai. He just shook his head and pulled Fai into his arms, kissing him deeply.

"Did Kuro-chama think that I wasn't paying attention to him?" Fai murmured against his lips, and then lapped his tongue against the corner of Kurogane's mouth, cleaning a stray drop of sweet mirin sauce. "During all those lessons?"

"It just seemed strange to see you so well-behaved," Kurogane admitted, tracing his lips down the line of Fai's jaw. "It's not like you, somehow."

Fai gave a throaty laugh, and no more was said for the time being.

The second night after their return to Nihon, Fai started a food fight.