annotate stories/CCScharity_4.txt @ 0:ed1308d04df2 moonlitnights

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author rlm
date Fri, 19 Feb 2010 06:24:59 -0500
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rlm@0 1 Learning to Fly Chapter Four
rlm@0 2 by
rlm@0 3 The Amazoness Duo
rlm@0 4 and
rlm@0 5 G.P.
rlm@0 6 amazonessduo@hotmail.com
rlm@0 7 pearsong1954@yahoo.com
rlm@0 8
rlm@0 9
rlm@0 10
rlm@0 11 "Where is he?" Sakura whined, hugging herself in an attempt to fight
rlm@0 12 off the cold evening that was settling in. "He's always late. It's
rlm@0 13 because he works so much. How does Yukito put up with him?" the
rlm@0 14 brunette asked, turning to her elegantly dressed friend. As usual,
rlm@0 15 Sakura thought Tomoyo put her to shame. Though they'd both dressed up
rlm@0 16 for dinner, Tomoyo's lavender ensemble seemed more refined than
rlm@0 17 Sakura's more simple green dress. Her pale friend was absolutely
rlm@0 18 gorgeous. Sakura's heart raced at the memory of helping Tomoyo braid
rlm@0 19 her beautiful dark tresses before they left. Momentarily forgetting
rlm@0 20 her complaints, the Cardmistress could only stop and stare. She shot
rlm@0 21 an angry look at two older boys who were gawking at Tomoyo, stepping
rlm@0 22 closer to the shorter girl protectively. Ignoring most of the stares
rlm@0 23 that came her way, with the obvious exception of Sakura's glances,
rlm@0 24 Tomoyo smiled. "Yukito-san must have boundless patience, then." The
rlm@0 25 occasion for the night's outing was a dinner with Sakura's brother
rlm@0 26 and his boyfriend, the object of Sakura's childhood affection. Now
rlm@0 27 that Sakura no longer lived with her brother, his busy lifestyle made
rlm@0 28 it hard to stay in touch with him. Little things like going out for
rlm@0 29 dinner helped keep them close.
rlm@0 30
rlm@0 31 "You must be even more patient than Yuki if you can somehow put up
rlm@0 32 with the monster," Touya deadpanned from behind the two girls, his
rlm@0 33 white haired lover in tow.
rlm@0 34
rlm@0 35 "I'm not a little girl! You can't call me a monster anymore!" Sakura
rlm@0 36 argued, clenching her fists and shaking them at the imposing image of
rlm@0 37 her tall, dark haired brother.
rlm@0 38
rlm@0 39 The tall man shrugged. "If it looks like a monster and acts like a
rlm@0 40 monster...""It's good to see you both again," Yukito cut in, smiling
rlm@0 41 pleasantly at the younger girls.
rlm@0 42
rlm@0 43 Lightening up visibly, Sakura smiled and nodded in agreement. "It's
rlm@0 44 good to see you, too.""Now she's calm. Let's get something to eat
rlm@0 45 before she snaps again," Touya suggested, pushing the restaurant door
rlm@0 46 open. Harumphing, Sakura led Tomoyo past Touya and into the warmth of
rlm@0 47 the restaurant beyond. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
rlm@0 48
rlm@0 49 The restaurant was spacious but crowded. The group of four sat in a
rlm@0 50 back corner, a myriad sampling of food spread out before them. "Too
rlm@0 51 bad Kero-chan's not here. He'd love this," Sakura mused, reaching
rlm@0 52 over with her chopsticks indecisively. So much food. It was difficult
rlm@0 53 to decide where to begin."Yuki will be sure to eat enough for him,
rlm@0 54 too," Touya promised, watching some of the food before him disappear
rlm@0 55 thanks to his ever hungry boyfriend.
rlm@0 56
rlm@0 57 "What have you been doing lately, onii-chan?" Chestnut hair fell to
rlm@0 58 one side as Sakura tilted her head curiously. "I haven't seen you on
rlm@0 59 campus much. I hoped I'd get to see more of you.""He's been working
rlm@0 60 mostly. When he's not in class, he's at work. You know Touya. He has
rlm@0 61 to keep busy or he's not happy," Yukito replied between mouthfuls.
rlm@0 62 "Onii-chan is ever happy?" Sakura asked, blinking incredulously. "I
rlm@0 63 thought that was impossible." She couldn't help but smile as Tomoyo
rlm@0 64 giggled beside her. "You always look so grumpy.""I'm plenty happy.
rlm@0 65 It's better than being so excitable. You end up crying over the
rlm@0 66 simplest things or you're excited over the tiniest details. I'd
rlm@0 67 rather just sail smoothly through everything," Touya countered."But
rlm@0 68 it's cute that Sakura-chan's so excitable! It means everything she
rlm@0 69 encounters affects her in some way. She's so emotive. That's why it's
rlm@0 70 so much fun to watch her." Sighing dreamily, Tomoyo cast her eyes on
rlm@0 71 Sakura, watching her friend blush and fumble with her napkin. Sakura
rlm@0 72 was always so cute when she was embarrassed. And if Syaoran wasn't
rlm@0 73 going to be around to embarrass her, then it was Tomoyo's duty to get
rlm@0 74 a blush on Sakura's cheeks whenever possible. Hoping to change the
rlm@0 75 subject, Sakura looked up at her brother. "So... ummm... What jobs
rlm@0 76 are you working this week? You're not going ot have to run off to
rlm@0 77 wait tables in a minute, are you?"
rlm@0 78
rlm@0 79 Touya shook his head, sipping some tea before replying. "No, I don't
rlm@0 80 work here. It's just a nice restaurant. Yuki and I came here to
rlm@0 81 celebrate some things a while back. I'm working at a bar now.""A
rlm@0 82 bar?" Sakura repeated.
rlm@0 83
rlm@0 84 "He's a bartender there. He's getting pretty good at it, too,"
rlm@0 85 Yukito answered. "I'll go just to watch him make the drinks. He has
rlm@0 86 very nimble hands.""So does Sakura-chan." Taking one of Sakura's
rlm@0 87 hands in her own, Tomoyo let her fingers trace over Sakura's creamy
rlm@0 88 skin. She could tell Sakura's blush worsened, but the other girl
rlm@0 89 didn't pull her hand away. Smiling, Tomoyo continued to caress
rlm@0 90 Sakura's hand. To the heiress's surprise, Sakura's fingers curled
rlm@0 91 around her own, holding on warmly. Her heart swooned at the
rlm@0 92 feeling.Raising an eyebrow, Touya watched the two girls for a moment.
rlm@0 93 "I'm so glad you finally started dating Tomoyo. She's much better for
rlm@0 94 you than the brat ever was. I've been waiting for you two to get
rlm@0 95 together since you were kids. It was so obvious."Sakura's faint blush
rlm@0 96 escalated to near crimson. "Obvious? But..."Touya nodded,
rlm@0 97 interrupting. "Very obvious. How you were always blushing around her
rlm@0 98 and getting moony about things. I'm surprised it took you so
rlm@0 99 long."Simply watching the exchange, Tomoyo continued to nibble on her
rlm@0 100 food. This was certainly interesting. "But we're not dating..."
rlm@0 101 Sakura got out at last, her heart pounding. Why did the mention of
rlm@0 102 them dating get her so excited? Why was her heart beating so fast?
rlm@0 103 Hoe... Why was this all so confusing? Touya's eyes were still staring
rlm@0 104 in her direction. She followed his gaze to her hand, still
rlm@0 105 interlocked with Tomoyo's. Pulling her hand away in a hurry, she
rlm@0 106 placed both hands on her lap, staring at her plate. Stupid Touya. Why
rlm@0 107 did he have to mention anything? It felt so nice to hold Tomoyo's
rlm@0 108 hand like that.
rlm@0 109
rlm@0 110 "Oh..." Touya rolled this news over for a moment in his head before
rlm@0 111 continuing. "So you are still dating the brat?""Yeah..." Sakura
rlm@0 112 responded, still staring at the table. Why was that answer so
rlm@0 113 dissatisfying to say? It didn't hold the magic it once did, and none
rlm@0 114 of the excitement that even her denial of a relationship with Tomoyo
rlm@0 115 had held. Syaoran was overseas. He was her boyfriend. She felt safe
rlm@0 116 with him. But Tomoyo... A surge of emotions came at the thought of
rlm@0 117 her friend, the thoughts exciting and delicious and terrifying all at
rlm@0 118 once. Tomoyo made her feel so alive. So warm. So loved. It was such a
rlm@0 119 completely different feeling from the relative safety that Syaoran
rlm@0 120 offered.
rlm@0 121
rlm@0 122 Tomoyo was her best friend. Syaoran was her boyfriend. So why
rlm@0 123 couldn't she be happy with the way things were? That question haunted
rlm@0 124 her throughout the rest of the dinner.
rlm@0 125
rlm@0 126 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
rlm@0 127
rlm@0 128 The cold night air blanketed the dark haired pair, a stark contrast
rlm@0 129 to the warmth held inside the restaurant. Keeping an eye on the
rlm@0 130 fragile seeming heiress, Touya offered his jacket. Smiling, she
rlm@0 131 accepted gratefully, sliding her arms into the protective warmth of
rlm@0 132 the much too large coat. She was absolutely stunning, a beautiful
rlm@0 133 princess shimmering under the glow of the moonlight. The years had
rlm@0 134 been kind on the Daidouji girl. At one time Touya had considered her
rlm@0 135 a cute kid, but now he had to admit that she was gorgeous. It was a
rlm@0 136 similar beauty to what he had seen when his mother's ghost had
rlm@0 137 visited him, ethereal and angelic. He wondered if Sakura was as
rlm@0 138 blinded to the angel that never left her side as she had been to her
rlm@0 139 mother's ghost when she was a child.
rlm@0 140
rlm@0 141 "I wonder why Sakura-chan wanted to speak with Yuki," Touya stated
rlm@0 142 after a moment's silence.
rlm@0 143
rlm@0 144 Her eyes cast skyward at the glittering jewels that were the stars,
rlm@0 145 Tomoyo spoke, her soft voice carrying on the crisp night air. "Sakura-
rlm@0 146 chan is full of mysteries."This caused Touya to furrow an eyebrow. "I
rlm@0 147 don't think the monster could be mysterious if she tried." He nearly
rlm@0 148 smiled at the giggle his comment drew forth from the heiress. He
rlm@0 149 always enjoyed Tomoyo's company. If he'd been Sakura's age, they
rlm@0 150 would have made great friends.
rlm@0 151
rlm@0 152 "I think Sakura-chan's asking for advice about something," Tomoyo
rlm@0 153 ammended her previous statement, her hands disappearing inside the
rlm@0 154 long jacket sleeves. A shake of her head freed her face from her long
rlm@0 155 dark hair, letting the breeze caress her cheeks. "She's asking Yuki's
rlm@0 156 advice?" Touya glanced questioningly at the short girl. Her silence
rlm@0 157 told him all he needed to know. "Yue's advice." Nodding, he returned
rlm@0 158 his gaze to the late traffic. "I wonder what she wants from Yue.
rlm@0 159 Unless she just wants to see how cute he is one last time before she
rlm@0 160 runs off and gets married to the brat.""I don't think you have to
rlm@0 161 worry about that," Tomoyo assured the dark haired man. "Yue-san is
rlm@0 162 very beautiful, but I think Sakura-chan just wants help figuring
rlm@0 163 something out." Her mind was drifting elsewhere, back to the dinner.
rlm@0 164 Sakura had been somewhat distracted. Hopefully Sakura's chat with Yue
rlm@0 165 would fix things, though Tomoyo doubted it. What was bothering Sakura
rlm@0 166 was more complex than something she could simply ask the answer to.
rlm@0 167 Some answers only come to us when we have exhausted all other
rlm@0 168 possibilities. Some wait til we have nowhere left to turn but inward.
rlm@0 169 And Sakura's inner world was something that the brunette had always
rlm@0 170 had trouble understanding.Touya slipped his hands into his pockets,
rlm@0 171 shaking his head. "Then why isn't Sakura-chan going to you? She's
rlm@0 172 always run to you whenever she has a problem. Especially when she
rlm@0 173 needs help figuring things out." Turning to look at the heiress, he
rlm@0 174 could see that her pale features were set in a serious, somewhat sad
rlm@0 175 look. "Because I can't help her this time," Tomoyo said simply.
rlm@0 176 Licking her lips, she busied herself with trying to spot where her
rlm@0 177 bodyguards had hidden themselves away this time. A helpless feeling
rlm@0 178 bubbled up, encasing her heart. It was the same feeling she'd always
rlm@0 179 had whenever Sakura had been in physical danger, the knowledge that
rlm@0 180 she was helpless to protect Sakura. It was icy cold and devestating.
rlm@0 181 That feeling was one of the primary reasons she had pushed Sakura
rlm@0 182 towards Syaoran. Syaoran could protect her from whatever magical
rlm@0 183 dangers came her way, something Tomoyo couldn't do. But with matters
rlm@0 184 of the heart, Tomoyo had always been able to comfort Sakura in some
rlm@0 185 way. Not this time. That thought left her feeling useless to the girl
rlm@0 186 she loved. Sakura needed her and yet she couldn't lift a finger to
rlm@0 187 help.
rlm@0 188
rlm@0 189 "Why not? You've always steered Sakura well so far. I swear she
rlm@0 190 would've ended up running into a wall without you there. You've made
rlm@0 191 my duties as a big brother a lot easier. I can actually get some
rlm@0 192 sleep when I know you're around to keep her out of trouble." Touya
rlm@0 193 was grateful for all Tomoyo had done for his sister. Though he teased
rlm@0 194 her, he was intensely protective of Sakura. Tomoyo had been Sakura's
rlm@0 195 safety net from almost the day they met. It relieved him to know that
rlm@0 196 Tomoyo was there for Sakura when he couldn't be. "Because I think I'm
rlm@0 197 involved." A breeze played with the jacket, making it sway around the
rlm@0 198 delicate heiress, her long, dark hair following suit. Her pale
rlm@0 199 fingers peaked out of the sleeves as she held the jacket closer. "I
rlm@0 200 can't give Sakura any advice on this if it's about me. I have to let
rlm@0 201 her decide. I can't tell her what's in her heart. Not this time.
rlm@0 202 Because I'm too close. I made a mistake last time. I won't do that
rlm@0 203 again. I have to let Sakura find out for herself what's in her
rlm@0 204 heart.""You were only looking out for her. Few people would have done
rlm@0 205 what you did, trying to get her with someone else so she'd be happy."
rlm@0 206 Placing a hand on her shoulder, he looked down into her stormy blue
rlm@0 207 eyes. "You've always been looking out for her. You've always been
rlm@0 208 working for her best interests, even when she didn't see that. You've
rlm@0 209 sacrificed so that she'd be happy. If that doesn't make you worthy of
rlm@0 210 her love, I don't know what does." Squeezing her shoulder lightly for
rlm@0 211 emphasis, he continued. "If I'd been the one trying to push her in
rlm@0 212 anyone's direction, I'd have wanted her with you over the brat
rlm@0 213 anyday. Don't scare yourself with thoughts of whether or not you're
rlm@0 214 good enough for her, Tomoyo-chan. Because I know you are. You'd be my
rlm@0 215 first choice for her."Slowly, a smile spread across Tomoyo's face.
rlm@0 216 Looking up, she brushed back her hair. "Thank you, Touya-san.""Don't
rlm@0 217 mention it. I should thank you for trying to take the monster off my
rlm@0 218 hands." Touya let go, glancing once again around the parking lot.
rlm@0 219 "Now where are those two? Some lovers they turn out to be, making us
rlm@0 220 wait in the cold like this."Smiling, Tomoyo cast her eyes to the
rlm@0 221 stars once more. Touya was right. It was up to Sakura now. And
rlm@0 222 whatever Sakura decided, she would always be by her side. Doubts
rlm@0 223 would only hold her back.~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
rlm@0 224
rlm@0 225 Sakura walked nervously alongside her onetime crush and protector,
rlm@0 226 Yukito. The older man smiled at her, but this only served to make the
rlm@0 227 young Cardmistress fidget even more. Snow the color of Yukito's hair
rlm@0 228 began to dance around them, swirling lazily about the two. Hugging
rlm@0 229 her jacket closer, the athletic girl struggled to make sense of the
rlm@0 230 maelstrom in her head. She couldn't talk to Tomoyo about this because
rlm@0 231 Tomoyo was the whole reason her heart was flittering so wildly. She
rlm@0 232 surely couldn't ask Syaoran. How would the proud future leader of the
rlm@0 233 Li Clan react to his girlfriend asking him about her feelings towards
rlm@0 234 another girl? Kero's advice was suspect at best. Her brother's
rlm@0 235 preferences over the two closest to Sakura's heart was obvious. That
rlm@0 236 left her stoic guardian, the Judgement himself. "Yukito-san," Sakura
rlm@0 237 finally got out through numb lips. "I need to speak to Yue."
rlm@0 238
rlm@0 239 In a dazzling display of cool light and wings, the man who had stood
rlm@0 240 next to her was replaced by his counterpart, the long haired
rlm@0 241 guardian, Yue. "Yes, Sakura-sama."
rlm@0 242
rlm@0 243 That title always made Sakura want to squirm. It felt too heavy
rlm@0 244 resting on her shoulders. She didn't like the thought of being in
rlm@0 245 charge. She just wanted to be friends with her 'subjects'. But now
rlm@0 246 wasn't the time for her discomfort over titles. How was she supposed
rlm@0 247 to begin? She'd never been good at talking about love. It left her
rlm@0 248 feeling confused and tongue-tied. The words finally escaped her in a
rlm@0 249 rush. "How do you know you're in love?"Silence surrounded the
rlm@0 250 ethereal pair for a long moment. When Yue spoke, he arched an eyebrow
rlm@0 251 curiously. "Isn't this better asked of Tomoyo? Or perhaps Dark and
rlm@0 252 Light? Love has never really been my strong point.""But you and Touya
rlm@0 253 seem so happy. You look like you belong together. When I'm with
rlm@0 254 Syaoran..." Sakura trailed off, looking down at the gathering snow
rlm@0 255 for a moment. "It doesn't feel that way. And I can't ask Tomoyo.
rlm@0 256 She's... I..." The Carmistress blushed and held her hands to her
rlm@0 257 heart. "Tomoyo's in love with me. But I don't know how I feel. I
rlm@0 258 thought I was in love with Syaoran. But now I don't know anymore.
rlm@0 259 Tomoyo makes me feel so... hanyan... When I'm with her, my heart
rlm@0 260 starts pounding. It's like I'm short of breath. And the things she
rlm@0 261 says... The thought of her finding someone else, of someone else
rlm@0 262 getting Tomoyo's love, it makes me feel miserable. I don't know what
rlm@0 263 I'd do without her."Yue smirked, crossing his arms regally. "It
rlm@0 264 sounds to me like you've answered your own questions, Sakura-sama.
rlm@0 265 Perhaps you just needed someone to listen.""What? No, I..." Sakura's
rlm@0 266 blush deepened as she shook her head. "That wasn't what I meant.
rlm@0 267 I..." But her words did ring with a certain truth, didn't they? The
rlm@0 268 way Tomoyo made her feel was something she had taken for granted as a
rlm@0 269 child. But now that she understood how her friend felt, it made
rlm@0 270 Sakura wonder about her own feelings. Were they the same?
rlm@0 271
rlm@0 272 "Yuki, we need to get going or I'll be late for work." Turning at
rlm@0 273 the sound of her brother's voice, Sakura saw Touya and Tomoyo walking
rlm@0 274 towards them. Yukito walked past to join Touya, already having
rlm@0 275 reverted back from his true form. Questions still lingered in the
rlm@0 276 Cardmistress's mind even as Tomoyo approached her. A smile spread
rlm@0 277 across her lips nonetheless as she took the few steps to reach her
rlm@0 278 beautiful friend. Even if questions lingered, she still loved being
rlm@0 279 with her friend. And that was enough for now.
rlm@0 280
rlm@0 281 "Touya wanted to know if we wanted to go to the bar he worked at
rlm@0 282 with them," Tomoyo explained, brushing back her dark hair from her
rlm@0 283 pale face. She felt better after talking to Touya and could only hope
rlm@0 284 that Sakura felt the same way after her conversation with Yukito. She
rlm@0 285 couldn't help but return the smile Sakura gave her, falling alongside
rlm@0 286 her athletic friend. "Unless the monster is too little," Touya added,
rlm@0 287 slipping an arm around Yukito as they walked. Sakura's fists balled
rlm@0 288 up as she followed her elder brother. "I am not! I'm plenty old
rlm@0 289 enough to go to the bar." Her dreams of one day growing up and being
rlm@0 290 taller than him were hampered by the fact that he was still
rlm@0 291 incredibly taller than her. Sakura could only claim to be taller than
rlm@0 292 Tomoyo, and even then it was only by a few inches. "Come on, Tomoyo-
rlm@0 293 chan. We don't have work tomorrow. It'll be fun." Whether she really
rlm@0 294 thought it would be fun or she was just trying to prove her brother
rlm@0 295 wrong, Sakura couldn't rightly say. The two thoughts bled together
rlm@0 296 until they were practically the same thing.
rlm@0 297
rlm@0 298 Still, seeing her brother with his arm around the slender white
rlm@0 299 haired man made her own heart years. Her fists unclenched as she
rlm@0 300 found herself gazing sidelong at her friend. It would feel so nice to
rlm@0 301 hold Tomoyo like that, to feel the soft, frail girl in her arm,
rlm@0 302 moving against her as they walked. The heiress was so elegent, so
rlm@0 303 gorgeous. Her steps seemed almost perfect, making her seem to glide
rlm@0 304 along barely touching the floor. How would it feel to hold onto her,
rlm@0 305 to feel Tomoyo melt against her side? "Are you coming with us or are
rlm@0 306 you going to walk the whole way?" Touya asked, shattering Sakura's
rlm@0 307 thoughts. "What?" Embarrassment colored the brunette's cheeks as she
rlm@0 308 saw Touya and Yukito getting on their bikes. Tomoyo slid up behind
rlm@0 309 her brother, her arms going around his waist to hold on. "Oh... Yeah,
rlm@0 310 I'm coming." Sakura climbed up behind Yukito, holding on as the
rlm@0 311 taller boy pushed the bike into motion. For some reason this didn't
rlm@0 312 hold the excitement it once had. Her eyes found their way back to
rlm@0 313 Tomoyo, the heiress sitting demurely on the back of Touya's bike just
rlm@0 314 as she had once sat on the back of Sakura's staff when they would fly
rlm@0 315 through the night. A pang of loss struck Sakura as those memories
rlm@0 316 resurfaced. She missed gliding through the air with Tomoyo so close
rlm@0 317 to her. When she flew with her wings, it could feel so lonely. But
rlm@0 318 when she had flown on her staff with Tomoyo, they were sharing the
rlm@0 319 night sky together. But now that seemed so long ago. They weren't
rlm@0 320 children anymore. That magic seemed far away. She longed to be on the
rlm@0 321 bike near Tomoyo, the two of them free as the wind. Catching Sakura's
rlm@0 322 gaze, Tomoyo smiled at her friend. Sakura's nostalgic look was
rlm@0 323 replaced by a smile of her own. They watched each other for a long
rlm@0 324 time as the snow and lit up streets zipped past around them. The
rlm@0 325 beauty around them couldn't compare with the beauty of her best
rlm@0 326 friend, the wind and snow playing through her hair. For a moment,
rlm@0 327 Tomoyo wished that she had her camcorder with her. But Sakura was
rlm@0 328 always a beautiful sight. For now she was content to simply watch,
rlm@0 329 their eyes never breaking for more than a few seconds. Did Sakura
rlm@0 330 have any idea how she affected her? How her heart would swell just by
rlm@0 331 being near the brunette? Even the Cardmistress couldn't know just how
rlm@0 332 strong her spells could be. "I love you, Sakura," she whispered to
rlm@0 333 her friend, knowing Sakura couldn't hear her as they sped along on
rlm@0 334 the bikes. She thought she saw Sakura's mouth move shortly afterwards.
rlm@0 335
rlm@0 336 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
rlm@0 337 "I think you've just been around your sisters so long that you don't
rlm@0 338 know how to treat a girl's heart," Fanren explained, sitting on an
rlm@0 339 ornamental stone as Syaoran continued practicing, his limbs moving
rlm@0 340 nimbly about in the different poses. "And what makes you think that?"
rlm@0 341 Syaoran asked dryly, switching his balance as he moved. Martial arts
rlm@0 342 was one thing he could count on. Overemotional girlfriends and pissed
rlm@0 343 off cousins were far away when he was training. Unfortunately, his
rlm@0 344 big sister wasn't about to let him escape completely."Because Meiling
rlm@0 345 hasn't been here in days." She leaned forward and spoke in a
rlm@0 346 conspiratorial whisper. "I heard she punched a whole in her wall."
rlm@0 347 Sweatdropping, Syaoran tried not to lose his balance. "That's just a
rlm@0 348 rumor. So what can't I figure out a girl's heart if I grew up with so
rlm@0 349 many girls, huh?"Fanren grinned, watching her intent little brother.
rlm@0 350 "Because you think like a girl, silly."
rlm@0 351
rlm@0 352 Syaoran nearly stumbled at this bit of news. Whirling about, his
rlm@0 353 eyes narrowed. "I what?""You think like a girl. You've grown up with
rlm@0 354 all your big sisters and mom. You don't think like a boy. A boy would
rlm@0 355 be expected to try to figure out a girl's heart so they could one day
rlm@0 356 marry so you'd have someone to help you with the Li Clan. But you
rlm@0 357 practically grew up as a girl. Boy's hearts are easier for you to
rlm@0 358 understand because they're simpler. Like that boy you had a crush on
rlm@0 359 who ate all the time."Syaoran's cheeks flushed as he went back to his
rlm@0 360 training. Let Fanren air her crazy theory if it would make her feel
rlm@0 361 better. She was his big sister, so he was obligated to at least
rlm@0 362 listen. "That was different. I liked him because his magic attracted
rlm@0 363 mine."Laughing, Fanren shook her head. "You keep telling yourself
rlm@0 364 that, Syaoran. Anyway, it's the same way the rest of your sisters
rlm@0 365 think. They don't have to deal with the subtleties of a girl's heart.
rlm@0 366 They can work their feminine wiles on a boy and more often than not,
rlm@0 367 he'll be theirs. You can't expect the same tricks to work on girls as
rlm@0 368 boys.""And just how did you get to be so insightful?" Syaoran asked,
rlm@0 369 shooting her a glance.
rlm@0 370
rlm@0 371 A smirk crossed the elder siblings lips as she shrugged. "I like
rlm@0 372 boys and girls, so I needed to learn the rules for both."
rlm@0 373
rlm@0 374 Syaoran didn't know how to answer, his cheeks flushing."So I think
rlm@0 375 I'm in a unique position to understand how difficult things must be
rlm@0 376 for my little brother. You're having the same problems I did when I
rlm@0 377 was first trying to figure out how to go about winning a girl's
rlm@0 378 heart. You're still too used to falling for boys, so it's confusing
rlm@0 379 you. Meiling doesn't work the way you're used to.""I'm dating
rlm@0 380 Sakura!" Syaoran finally shot back. "She's a girl, or did you just
rlm@0 381 forget that?" His pride was wounded and he only knew to fight back.
rlm@0 382 His sister thought he had grown up as a girl, that he didn't know how
rlm@0 383 to figure out a girl's heart. Of course he did. He was dating the
rlm@0 384 Cardmistress. "No offense, Syaoran, but that hardly counts. Sakura's
rlm@0 385 more tomboyish than you are." She saw him wince at that and quickly
rlm@0 386 moved to reassure him. "It's not a problem. It's not like you're any
rlm@0 387 less a person for it. You're my wonderful little brother. It's just
rlm@0 388 that you grew up more like a little sister, so these things that boys
rlm@0 389 have to deal with end up being confusing. But that isn't your fault.
rlm@0 390 Who was supposed to explain them to you? One of your sisters? Mom?
rlm@0 391 And Wei's too old for that sort of thing."
rlm@0 392
rlm@0 393 "So you're supposed to teach me how to be a man?" Syaoran asked
rlm@0 394 incredulously. What would she know about being a man? And having the
rlm@0 395 nerve to call him, the heir to the Li Clan, her little sister. But he
rlm@0 396 couldn't get himself to just leave or to quit listening to her. Maybe
rlm@0 397 it was that he felt so off balance with Meiling angry at him. Or
rlm@0 398 maybe he sensed some truth in her words. Yukito had been so much
rlm@0 399 easier to have a crush on. That had made sense to him. Sakura was a
rlm@0 400 little more confusing and it always felt like he was doing the wrong
rlm@0 401 things with Meiling.
rlm@0 402
rlm@0 403 "Well, I can't teach you how to be a man. I think you're fine the
rlm@0 404 way you are. Though you could smile a bit more." The older girl
rlm@0 405 winked at her brother. "I can, on the other hand, help you figure out
rlm@0 406 how to understand a girl's heart. Which might help patch things up
rlm@0 407 with Meiling. And if you're going to stop her from getting
rlm@0 408 married...""That isn't my problem. If she's going to get married,
rlm@0 409 that's her business," Syaoran said frostily.
rlm@0 410
rlm@0 411 "It's not her choice, Syaoran," Fanren reminded him gently."She
rlm@0 412 could fight it. I know Meiling. She's a fighter. So why would she
rlm@0 413 just give up?" Anger fueled his motions as he kicked and punched at
rlm@0 414 the air in front of him."Because she doesn't feel like she has
rlm@0 415 anything to fight for. Why keep fighting if she has no reason? What
rlm@0 416 good would arguing the wedding be? I think she's tired of fighting
rlm@0 417 it." A small smile passed across Fanren's lips. "But I'm sure we
rlm@0 418 could change that.Syaoran couldn't help himself. He turned quickly,
rlm@0 419 his eyes burning with intensity.
rlm@0 420 "How?"~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
rlm@0 421
rlm@0 422 Though Tomoyo was fairly certain her mother had ended up in bars
rlm@0 423 several times for various reasons, either while talking to business
rlm@0 424 associates or lamenting her beloved Nadeshiko, Tomoyo herself had
rlm@0 425 never been to one. It was a bit exciting to be in such a different
rlm@0 426 atmosphere. She somehow didn't think it would be nearly as exciting
rlm@0 427 without Sakura so near. Staying close to the other girl, Tomoyo
rlm@0 428 followed right behind Sakura. Touya, meanwhile, took his blace behind
rlm@0 429 the bar dressed in his uniform, relieving a fellow employee. He
rlm@0 430 wasted no time in getting to work. Sakura slid up onto a stool near
rlm@0 431 the bar, followed closely by Tomoyo. Emerald eyes looked all about
rlm@0 432 the nicely decorated yet dimly lit bar. People mingled about all
rlm@0 433 over. They all seemed to be enjoying themselves.
rlm@0 434
rlm@0 435 "You have to order something if you're going to sit there," Touya
rlm@0 436 cautioned, cleaning out some of the glasses.Nibbling on her lower
rlm@0 437 lips, Sakura nodded after a moment. "Okay. Get me whatever the usual
rlm@0 438 is.""I'll have one, too," Tomoyo followed. One certainly couldn't
rlm@0 439 hurt. And she could call her bodyguards to drive them home.
rlm@0 440
rlm@0 441 "Are you sure?" Touya asked, raising an eyebrow. When the two girls
rlm@0 442 nodded, he went about getting them their drinks. Seeing his sister
rlm@0 443 drunk was an awkward thought, but if she did anything stupid, at
rlm@0 444 least he'd have stories to hold over her for the rest of her life.
rlm@0 445 And if she was going to try it, he felt a lot better about it being
rlm@0 446 when he could keep an eye on her rather than somewhere else. "Here
rlm@0 447 you are, ladies." He produced the two glasses, sliding them to his
rlm@0 448 sister and her friend. Taking her glass, Sakura examined the amber
rlm@0 449 liquid for a long moment. Catching sight of her brother watching her
rlm@0 450 even as he helped another customer, the Cardmistress decided to throw
rlm@0 451 caution to the wind. She wasn't going to look like a stupid little
rlm@0 452 kid in front of him. Raising the glass, she took a long drink. And
rlm@0 453 almost coughed it back up. The liquid tasted vile, almost burning her
rlm@0 454 throat as it went down. She swore she saw Touya smirk as he walked
rlm@0 455 past. Harumphing, she tried again, closing her eyes this time as the
rlm@0 456 liquid burned down into her belly. Having accomplished that much, she
rlm@0 457 made she he was watching the next time she took a drink. 'I'm not a
rlm@0 458 little kid anymore, Onii-chan,' she thought triumphantly.
rlm@0 459
rlm@0 460 Tomoyo watched her friend take her first few drinks before trying
rlm@0 461 her own. Sakura was so cute even while trying to prove that she was a
rlm@0 462 big girl. The heiress took a sip of her own drink. So that's why
rlm@0 463 Sakura was having a hard time with it. She could see why businessmen
rlm@0 464 would talk business over such hearty drinks. It must show how intent
rlm@0 465 they were to drink such strong things. And if it helped them loosen
rlm@0 466 up while they were at it, they probably wouldn't complain. Tomoyo
rlm@0 467 decided on the slow and steady approach to finishing her own drink,
rlm@0 468 rather than the occasional gulps that Sakura seemed to favor. The two
rlm@0 469 stayed that way for some time. Tomoyo kept sipping at her drink while
rlm@0 470 Sakura would take big gulps of hers when Touya would come past. Touya
rlm@0 471 would occasionally refill Sakura's glass when it would near the
rlm@0 472 bottom. The music played around them, enveloping them in the almost
rlm@0 473 mysterious atmosphere around them. Tomoyo kept watching Sakura as she
rlm@0 474 absentmindedly nursed her drink. Watching Sakura was, after all, her
rlm@0 475 favorite hobby.Meanwhile, Sakura was getting a bit tipsy. She hadn't
rlm@0 476 quite gotten used to the taste of the stuff, but it had stopped being
rlm@0 477 so difficult to drink. By now Touya surely wasn't thinking of her as
rlm@0 478 a kid. She grinned at the thought. Good. That would show him to treat
rlm@0 479 her like a child. Her head moved slightly in tune to the music
rlm@0 480 surrounding her, letting her mind wander. She forgot all about Touya
rlm@0 481 and trying to prove anything to him. Stormy blue eyes caught her own
rlm@0 482 emerald eyes like a magnet, reeling her in. She smiled brightly at
rlm@0 483 Tomoyo, swiveling to look at her friend. It felt so nice to have
rlm@0 484 Tomoyo's eyes on her, to have all of Tomoyo's attention like that. It
rlm@0 485 made her feel special. And not special because of any magic or power
rlm@0 486 she had, but special simply for who she was in the eyes of her best
rlm@0 487 friend. Tomoyo was so sweet.
rlm@0 488
rlm@0 489 Her foot swept out, gently pushing against Tomoyo's sandal-clad feet
rlm@0 490 under the stools. The heiress looked only momentarily puzzled before
rlm@0 491 her foot pushed back lightly. Giggling, Sakura continued playing with
rlm@0 492 Tomoyo's foot. Leaning over, she had to speak in a loud whisper to be
rlm@0 493 heard. "Ne, Tomoyo-chan, do you want to dance?" Everyone else was
rlm@0 494 dancing and it seemed a shame to just sit there all night. Besides,
rlm@0 495 it would be so nice to feel Tomoyo so close, to move across the floor
rlm@0 496 holding onto her.
rlm@0 497
rlm@0 498 "I'd love to, Sakura-chan," Tomoyo replied, sliding gingerly off of
rlm@0 499 her seat and taking Sakura's hand. Her heartbeat quickened as she
rlm@0 500 felt Sakura's warm hand holding onto her own, pulling her inexorably
rlm@0 501 towards the dance floor. She had learned to dance with her mother
rlm@0 502 when she was young, danding at first on the tall woman's feet to the
rlm@0 503 music her mother would put on. Being able to dance with Sakura had a
rlm@0 504 dreamlike quality to it. She almost couldn't believe it was
rlm@0 505 happening. Little moments like that gave her a taste of what it must
rlm@0 506 feel like for Syaoran to be dating the beautiful tomboy. She found
rlm@0 507 those little tastes delicious and treasured them deep within her
rlm@0 508 heart. A warm smile lit up her face even as her heart played a
rlm@0 509 staccato beat in her heart while Sakura's arms went around her,
rlm@0 510 pulling her close. Her mind whirled but she made no attempt to stop
rlm@0 511 it. Though she hadn't expected to be dancing so very close to Sakura,
rlm@0 512 she was thankful for the chance to.
rlm@0 513
rlm@0 514 The music danced around them like The Flower Card as Sakura held her
rlm@0 515 dark haired friend close. Their bodies moved together under the the
rlm@0 516 dim lights. Tomoyo's soft figure felt wonderful up close in Sakura's
rlm@0 517 arms. Tomoyo was just as elegant dancing as she was walking, her
rlm@0 518 skirt twirling about as they danced. Sakura's own athleticism helped,
rlm@0 519 though her state of mind made her slip up now and then. Tomoyo hardly
rlm@0 520 seemed to notice the few mistakes. Had dancing ever felt this good
rlm@0 521 with Syaoran? When they danced, Syaoran always felt so guarded, as if
rlm@0 522 he were simply trying to prove his capabilities in the situation. It
rlm@0 523 never felt like he was simply there, dancing alone with her. But the
rlm@0 524 people seemed to melt away as she danced with Tomoyo. The heiress's
rlm@0 525 hands found their way to her back, holding onto her there as they
rlm@0 526 danced, Tomoyo's body unabashedly hers as she led it this way and
rlm@0 527 that in their dance. It was a glorious feeling. Tomoyo trusted her
rlm@0 528 wholeheartedly, adrift in her arms. And Sakura pulled her along,
rlm@0 529 never letting go.
rlm@0 530
rlm@0 531 An eternity later, the two pulled themselves away from the dance
rlm@0 532 floor, finding a nice spot to catch their collective breath. Tomoyo
rlm@0 533 leaned against the wall, her heart still pounding from the whirlwind
rlm@0 534 ride it had been on during their dance. Oh, to be able to dance with
rlm@0 535 Sakura like that whenever. Syaoran was the luckiest boy under the
rlm@0 536 heavens. Slumping against the wall next to Tomoyo, Sakura's green
rlm@0 537 eyes refused to leave the flushed heiress. "You're so beautiful,
rlm@0 538 Tomoyo-chan," Sakura found herself whispering, her fingers stroking
rlm@0 539 through Tomoyo's luxurious hair. Her worries from earlier that night
rlm@0 540 felt like that had melted away, evaporating into nothing. She felt
rlm@0 541 free in that way she'd wished to reclaim with Tomoyo up in the sky.
rlm@0 542 Tomoyo blushed faintly, unable to pull away from Sakura's emerald
rlm@0 543 orbs. "Thank you, Sakura-chan. But you're the beautiful one. Even
rlm@0 544 when you aren't there, your beauty is still burnt into my mind."
rlm@0 545 Reaching out, her lithe fingers brushed past Sakura's cheek softly.
rlm@0 546 "You're so gorgeous. It's no wonder everyone loves you. I can't
rlm@0 547 imagine anyone being able to resist your charms. I know I never
rlm@0 548 could."Giggling, Sakura slid closer to her friend, twirling Tomoyo's
rlm@0 549 hair around her fingers. "But you never tried. I'm sure you could if
rlm@0 550 you wanted to. You're the prettiest, smartest, most talented girl I
rlm@0 551 know. I'm still surprised you haven't found someone better
rlm@0 552 yet.""There can't be anyone better than you. You're the one I love.
rlm@0 553 Everything about you..." Tomoyo kicked herself after the words had
rlm@0 554 escaped. Yeah, good job. How was Sakura supposed to believe that
rlm@0 555 Tomoyo would be okay when Sakura married Syaoran if Tomoyo still
rlm@0 556 believed Sakura was her perfect person? Well, it was out now. Sakura
rlm@0 557 already knew that she loved her. But Tomoyo didn't want Sakura to
rlm@0 558 think she could never fall in love with someone else. She didn't want
rlm@0 559 to make Sakura feel guilty. "Hoe... Tomoyo-chan, you always say the
rlm@0 560 sweetest things," Sakura crooned, burying her nose in Tomoyo's hair.
rlm@0 561 Tomoyo's eyes closed while she nuzzled the wonderfully soft hair,
rlm@0 562 enhaling Tomoyo's wonderful scent. Tomoyo shuddered almost
rlm@0 563 imperceptibly against her. The Cardmistress loved hearing that, even
rlm@0 564 if she felt guilty about having Tomoyo's love so completely. But it
rlm@0 565 was such a wonderful sensation knowing that the other girl loved her
rlm@0 566 so much, that Tomoyo would see her as an angel. Tomoyo was the most
rlm@0 567 amazing girl she knew. Having Tomoyo see her like that always made
rlm@0 568 her feel like she could move mountains. "We should get home, Sakura-
rlm@0 569 chan," Tomoyo said after taking a moment to compose herself. "It's
rlm@0 570 getting late." Gracing Sakura with her patented smile, she dug in her
rlm@0 571 purse to pull out her cellphone, quickly dialing her bodyguards. Even
rlm@0 572 as she spoke into it, she could feel Sakura's gaze caressing her skin
rlm@0 573 and her hair being twirled around Sakura's nimble fingers. It took
rlm@0 574 some effort to keep her voice steady on the phone. "They'll be here
rlm@0 575 in a few moments," she said at last, turning her eyes once more to
rlm@0 576 the pretty brunette against her side. Her heart nearly stopped when
rlm@0 577 Sakura slipped an arm around her waist, pulling her close. "We should
rlm@0 578 probably go wait outside for them," she suggested. 'Because if we
rlm@0 579 stay in here, I don't know what will happen. If I can get you home
rlm@0 580 and in bed, then everything will be fine. You're dating Syaoran. I
rlm@0 581 will not damage that. I love you too much to damage that,' Tomoyo
rlm@0 582 thought, even as Sakura walked her to the door. It felt so very good
rlm@0 583 to be in Sakura's strong arms, held against her side. Tomoyo let
rlm@0 584 herself give in for the time being, resting her head on Sakura's
rlm@0 585 shoulder. Sakura smiled happily as she felt Tomoyo's long hair spill
rlm@0 586 down across her back. The warm breath from the heiress felt so good
rlm@0 587 on her shoulder. She couldn't resist nuzzling Tomoyo's hair one more
rlm@0 588 time, enjoying the way it tickled her nose. Stepping out into the now
rlm@0 589 frigid outdoors, the Cardmistress protectively pulled Tomoyo closer.
rlm@0 590 Melting into her grasp, the heirss placed a hand against her heart,
rlm@0 591 standing neslted in Sakura's arms as the snow fell like pieces of
rlm@0 592 clouds from the heavens. The two stayed that way until the limo
rlm@0 593 finally arrived, Tomoyo enraptured by the feel of Sakura's heartbeat
rlm@0 594 against her palm.
rlm@0 595
rlm@0 596 Climbing in, Tomoyo leaned back against the seat, trying to will her
rlm@0 597 heart to regain some sense of normalcy. That night had been like a
rlm@0 598 surreal dream, taking her on a tour of a heaven that could not be. If
rlm@0 599 only she could have taped it! She sighed, slipping her sandals off
rlm@0 600 her aching feet. At least there would always be the memories, though
rlm@0 601 CDs last twice as long and are ten times clearer. She needed to hire
rlm@0 602 someone to follow them around constantly to get everything on tape.
rlm@0 603 The best things always happened when she just happened to be away
rlm@0 604 from her trusty camcorder. Whatever god lived in the heavens above,
rlm@0 605 he certainly loved irony.
rlm@0 606
rlm@0 607 Tomoyo was yanked out of her daydream as her bare foot was pulled up
rlm@0 608 onto Sakura's lap. Staring blankly for a moment, Tomoyo could only
rlm@0 609 watch as the brunette began to rub her foot and ankle. Her toes
rlm@0 610 wiggled absentmindedly as she watched Sakura. First priority: Hire
rlm@0 611 someone to bring her camcorder along at all times so when dreamy
rlm@0 612 things like this happened, she'd have proof they weren't just a
rlm@0 613 wonderful dream she was having. "Do your feet hurt?" Sakura asked.
rlm@0 614 Tomoyo nodded weakly. The brunette rubbed more intently, trying to
rlm@0 615 massage the tenseness out of them. "Mine would get like that after
rlm@0 616 lots and lots of track. And yours are so much more delicate. It must
rlm@0 617 hurt a lot more for you." "It was worth it. I got to dance with you
rlm@0 618 for so long. I'd do it again even if they'd fall off," Tomoyo
rlm@0 619 promised, watching the curious Cardmistress. Sakura made a face,
rlm@0 620 working on Tomoyo's delicate foot with both hands, caressing over the
rlm@0 621 soft skin and rubbing wherever she could get. "I hope not. You have
rlm@0 622 such cute feet. I'd hate to see anything happen to them." Tomoyo
rlm@0 623 stared at the roof of the limo for a moment, borrowing from Sakura's
rlm@0 624 library a word she thought expressed the situation perfectly.
rlm@0 625 "Hoe..." Sakura giggled and continued caressing Tomoyo's foot. Her
rlm@0 626 fingers slowly began making their way upward, over her ankle and up
rlm@0 627 the back of her leg. "Your skin's so soft, Tomoyo-chan. You feel so
rlm@0 628 nice. It's not like this when I'm with Syaoran." Sakura giggled,
rlm@0 629 shaking her head. "I mean, he feels different than you. Well, his
rlm@0 630 legs, anyway." Her hands continued to climb higher until they were
rlm@0 631 rubbing the sides of Tomoyo's thighs under the dark haired girl's
rlm@0 632 lavender skirt, Sakura's body pressed nicely against Tomoyo's.
rlm@0 633 "Everything feels different with you.""That could be because I'm a
rlm@0 634 girl. I hear boys and girls do feel a bit different," Tomoyo
rlm@0 635 reasoned, trying to look as composed as possible under the situation.
rlm@0 636 Sakura's hands felt deliciously good against her bare skin, warm and
rlm@0 637 strong against her soft thighs. Little flitters of reason struggled
rlm@0 638 to take hold, telling her to stop Sakura from doing anything else,
rlm@0 639 that Sakura was drunk and shouldn't be this close. But it felt so
rlm@0 640 wonderful. And she hardly had the heart to deny Sakura anything.
rlm@0 641
rlm@0 642 "You feel so much better. You make me so hanyaan, Tomoyo-chan.
rlm@0 643 'Everything will always be all right.' But it only feels all right
rlm@0 644 when I'm with you," Sakura explained, her weight holding Tomoyo's
rlm@0 645 slender form underneath her. That swirl of feelings that she felt
rlm@0 646 when Tomoyo was close to her felt like a hurricane now, something
rlm@0 647 powerful and unstoppable. There was some magic about the heiress that
rlm@0 648 sparked something deep inside of her that no one else could touch. In
rlm@0 649 her current state, Sakura's thoughts were a swirl of emotions and
rlm@0 650 feelings, logic lost somewhere along the way. There was only the
rlm@0 651 fragile, pale girl undernearth her and the storm of feelings she sent
rlm@0 652 through her. Tomoyo looked up at her, pink lips and stormy blue eyes
rlm@0 653 framed by her raven hair. Sakura pressed further into the smaller
rlm@0 654 girl, her lips finding Tomoyo's. She kissed her friend softly, loving
rlm@0 655 the way Tomoyo's feathery lips felt under her own. Tomoyo was still
rlm@0 656 mildly out of it because of her own drink at the bar, but she knew
rlm@0 657 she was much more lucid than Sakura. Or, rather, she had been before
rlm@0 658 Sakura had kissed her. Tomoyo was rapidly becoming drunk off of
rlm@0 659 Sakura, off the taste of Sakura's lips against hers and the feeling
rlm@0 660 of Sakura's body pressing against hers through their clothes. So she
rlm@0 661 wasn't overly surprised to find herself kissing back shortly, her
rlm@0 662 hands climbling up Sakura's back even as Sakura's hands began
rlm@0 663 questing over her own body. Sakura was kissing her. Sakura was loving
rlm@0 664 her. And it felt so wonderful. Her body squirmed as the brunette's
rlm@0 665 hands quested over her thighs, caressing over her panty-clad lower
rlm@0 666 half. Her own deft fingers were busying themselves with Sakura's top,
rlm@0 667 sliding it down and exposing the Cardmistress's bra. Tomoyo's eyes
rlm@0 668 drew in the whole picture before her, her heart jumping with joy at
rlm@0 669 the sight.
rlm@0 670
rlm@0 671 Kissing Tomoyo quickly escalated to much more, Sakura was pleased to
rlm@0 672 see. Though the logic that may have stopped her from all this was
rlm@0 673 curiously absent, the emotions and feelings that surrounded her
rlm@0 674 spurred her on further. She blushed slightly as she felt Tomoyo
rlm@0 675 unclasp her bra, letting it slide forward and out of the way. Her
rlm@0 676 blush grew as she watched Tomoyo's gaze move over her bare chest. Her
rlm@0 677 embarrassment was shortlived, however, as Tomoyo's hands swiftly made
rlm@0 678 their way to Sakura's chest, fingertips caressing over the soft skin.
rlm@0 679 Sakura purred as she pressed closer to Tomoyo, kissing her pale
rlm@0 680 friend deeper. She wanted to pull Tomoyo closer, to kiss her more, to
rlm@0 681 make love to her. She wanted to never let her go.
rlm@0 682
rlm@0 683 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
rlm@0 684
rlm@0 685 "Owwwww..." Sakura awoke the next morning to an angry headache.
rlm@0 686 Moving made her feel even worse. Her feet ached and the sheets felt
rlm@0 687 odd against her. Blinking groggily, the Cardmistress forced herself
rlm@0 688 to sit up. She immediately wished she hadn't. Her head swam and for a
rlm@0 689 moment she thought she would pass out. It slowly passed, but her
rlm@0 690 headache returned with a vengence. The sheets rustled against her
rlm@0 691 bare skin, a strange feeling for her. The only time she'd been in bed
rlm@0 692 naked, she'd been sleeping with Syaoran. Her eyes slowly widened, the
rlm@0 693 headache that had been impeding her thinking now being pushed
rlm@0 694 forcefully to the side. The night before... Tomoyo... in the car...
rlm@0 695
rlm@0 696 Kero didn't bat an eyebrow as he floated in, carrying a mug of
rlm@0 697 steaming tea. He'd seen Sakura get dressed enough growing up that
rlm@0 698 seeing her in just a sheet wasn't particularly bothersome. "Tomoyo-
rlm@0 699 chan says to drink this. She says it'll make ya feel better."
rlm@0 700
rlm@0 701 Taking the cup, Sakura held it close in her hands. Did she...? Had
rlm@0 702 she...? With Tomoyo? The sheets slipped down as she took her first
rlm@0 703 sip. "Hoe..."