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date Fri, 19 Feb 2010 20:53:12 -0500
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1 Learning To Fly: Chapter 3
2
3 by:
4 The Amazoness Duo
5 amazonessduo@hotmail.com
6
7 G.P.
8 pearsong1954@yahoo.com
9
10 =====
11
12 A soft, gentle knock resounded throughout Sakura's moderately
13 spacious room. Already blushing a shade of crimson, the Cardmistress
14 sunk lower on her bed. Her clothes laid in a hesitant pile near her
15 knees on her bed. Heart pounding, she covered it with a satiny glone,
16 one of the few articles of cloth that adorn her. She was clad in a
17 pink, lacey bra that teases at what it holds undernearth and matching
18 panties. The gloves trailed ribbons at her wrists. The stockings
19 ended at her thighs, again with a generous use of lace. Kicking
20 against the bed, the half clothed Cardmistress let out a whine.
21 "Hoe... Tomoyo-chan, I'm not coming out in this," she said, her voice
22 infused with embarrassment.
23
24 "But I need to see if it fits properly. It needs to be perfect
25 before Li-kun sees Sakura-chan prancing about in it," came Tomoyo's
26 reply, her voice as sweet as always. Pulling her silk hair back, the
27 heiress placed her head against the door, listening for the tell-tale
28 signs of her roommate's fidgeting.
29
30 "That isn't why you want to see it," Sakura whined, her hands
31 slipping to the edge of the bed. Looking down, she swished her toes
32 around in the stockings, feeling the cloth move over them. She wasn't
33 used to anything this dressy. Normal undergarments usually did the
34 trick for her. Okay, she was used to things this dressy. Tomoyo's
35 costumes. But those she could wear without most of her body showing.
36 Well, most of them.
37
38 "All right, that isn't why. -I- want to see Sakura-chan prancing
39 around in it," Tomoyo admitted after a moment's pause. Her head still
40 pressed against the door, the sounds came to her of Sakura shifting,
41 her embarrassment audible.Blushing intensely, Sakura hugged her legs
42 to her chest, her chin resting on the soft fabric that covered her
43 legs. How was she supposed to reply to that? Even after having known
44 of Tomoyo's feelings for the past few years, she still wasn't
45 entirely sure how to react. So her body tended to react with a huge
46 amount of blushes and embarrassed stammers. Her heart was pounding
47 faster now and her voice had left her. "Tomoyo-chan..." was all she
48 could get out, coming out as little more than a whimper. Trying to go
49 to someone for help, she had gone to her older brother. Tomoyo would
50 have been her first choice, but seeing as how the other girl was
51 involved, it seemed in bad taste to ask Tomoyo what she should do
52 about it. Since Touya had been through the same thing, she had
53 thought he would have excellent voice. His advice: "You take him out
54 to ice cream, then get him back home and leave your clothes at the
55 door." Yukito had simply smiled the whole time. Blushing fiercely, as
56 she was blushing now, Sakura had quickly excused herself.
57
58 "I bet it looks gorgeous on you, Sakura-chan. I made it for you so
59 you could show off your beautiful body the next time you see Li-kun.
60 It would be a shame if you had it and no one ever got to see how
61 gorgeous you were in it," Tomoyo prodded, still listening for any
62 reaction on her friend's part. Testing gently, she realized the door
63 wasn't locked. Sakura very seldom locked any doors. Which had caused
64 the Cardmistress no end of trouble back when she had lived with her
65 father and brother. There had been plenty of close calls with Sakura
66 talking to her supposedly stuffed doll, Kero. But now, Tomoyo found
67 that it worked to her advantage. "Sakura-chan," Tomoyo began again,
68 "There's nothing to be embarrassed about. I've been helping you dress
69 in your outfits since we were ten years old. I've seen more of you
70 than Li-kun has. And I've probably named every little part by
71 now.""You've what?" Sakura blinked, looking up, confused. Confusion
72 gave way to even more embarrassment. All those times she had changed
73 in front of Tomoyo, not realizing the other girl actually enjoyed
74 what she saw came back to her. Tomoyo had helped her dress into many
75 of her more elaborate costumes. And Tomoyo had named her body parts?
76 Her cheeks flushed as a morbid curiosity burned inside of her. What
77 had she named? What names had she picked? Sakura had to shake her
78 head and force the thought away, too shy to ask her questions. "But..
79 No! That was different. You helped me into your costumes and with the
80 dresses you made for me. Not something... sexy..." The last word came
81 out lower than the rest, as if she had to force it out. Seeing
82 herself in the mirror, Sakura shrunk down even more.
83
84 "Sakura-chan has worn lots of sexy clothes. You must not remember
85 half of the costumes you've worn for the past five years. I'll have
86 to get out the videotapes and show you again. The lingerie probably
87 has more cloth in total than the hummingbird outfit had," Tomoyo said
88 thoughtfully, a finger going to her chin.
89
90 "You told me that was a swimsuit!" Sakura responded, letting her
91 legs fall back to the bed and her fists resting near her sides.
92
93 Perfect. Tomoyo smiled, hearing Sakura's position change. "No, I
94 said it was waterproof, not that it was a swimsuit," she corrected.
95 The door slid open in one swift movement. For several seconds, Tomoyo
96 got a wonderful glimpse of her startled Sakura. For the first second
97 and a half, the brunette didn't even have the chance to be
98 embarrassed. Sakura truly looked beautiful in the lingerie, looking
99 both cute and sexy all at once, something Tomoyo had always loved
100 about her energetic friend. Those moments were burned forever into
101 memory thanks to the wonderful technology of camcorders. Thanks to
102 years and years of videotaping her flighty friend, the dark haired
103 girl had become an expert and bringing the camcorder to bear in the
104 most crucial of seconds. And then, like a groundhog popping back into
105 his hole, Sakura was gone. The girl had rolled off the bed, hiding
106 behind the side opposite Tomoyo.
107
108 "Tomoyo-chan!!" Sakura whined again, her heart pounding and her face
109 burning as she lay hunched over behind her bed. She hadn't expected
110 the other girl to come in. Now what was she supposed to do? Her hand
111 darted up to the bed, searching for her clothes. Her questing fingers
112 encountered nothing but the top of her bed.
113
114 "Sakura-chan needs to fold her clothes more often or they'll get
115 wrinkled," Tomoyo chided playfully, having pulled Sakura's clothes
116 away from her reach. Sitting down on the edge of the bed, she could
117 only make out her friend's hunched back. Good enough. Bringing the
118 camcorder up, she began to record.
119
120 "Why are you recording this?" Sakura asked, trying to curl up into
121 herself. It wasn't working. The camcorder and Tomoyo's eyes stayed
122 fixed on her. Her position didn't offer her much comfort or security.
123 "For posterity," Tomoyo chimed in, smiling brightly. "Maybe I should
124 make a copy for Li-kun. He must get lonely being so far away from
125 you."
126
127 "No! No copies for Syaoran," Sakura said quickly, looking up. It
128 took her a moment to see the camcorder dip, looking down her front.
129 Squeaking, the Cardmistress hugged herself tightly.
130
131 "But it seems unfair for me to get to see this while your boyfriend
132 doesn't get to," Tomoyo reasoned, panning over Sakura's strong
133 shoulders and down her pack to where the panties hugged her before
134 continuing down her beautiful, runner's legs. Sighing dreamily, the
135 heiress held a hand to her face. "You're very sexy, Sakura-
136 chan.""Th..Thanks, Tomoyo-chan." Blushing deeply, the Cardmistress
137 gazed back down at the floor. She couldn't say she minded Tomoyo's
138 compliments. They always made her feel wonderful. Tomoyo made her
139 feel like she could really do anything. Like she was something
140 special. So even the embarrassing things weren't all that bad. Just,
141 well, embarrassing.
142
143 "Please, Sakura-chan? Just for me and my camcorder. You can decide
144 later on if Li-kun sees. But I don't want to see my one chance at
145 seeing my super sexy Sakura-chan in the lingerie I made her. I love
146 seeing you in the clothes I make. Knowing you're wearing them, that
147 they're mixing together with you to make a beautiful picture. Without
148 you, they're just clothes. I've see what these look like under my
149 fingers. Now I want to see what they look like with you living and
150 breathing in them," Tomoyo pleaded, pulling down her camcorder for a
151 moment to look down at her best friend.
152
153 Emerald eyes gazed up for just a moment, but they were immediately
154 caught by the beautiful, pleading stormy blue ones of her friend.
155 Giving an imperceptible nod, Sakura sighed. "You know you always win
156 these things, right? Why do we even bother debating it anymore? I
157 should just give up and do what you want in the first place. Then we
158 can save ourselves the trouble." Blushing, hands slowly let go of her
159 body. Moving slowly, the Cardmistress stood up, shifting shyly from
160 foot to foot as Tomoyo's eyes roamed over her. A twinge of excitement
161 ran through her. Someone was actually seeing her like this, someone
162 who thought she was sexy. Sakura liked the thought, that she could be
163 sexy, that Tomoyo would want to see her like this. She blushed deeper
164 at the realization. Was it just that her boyfriend had been gone so
165 long? That she wanted someone to appreciate her like that? But she'd
166 always liked when Tomoyo fawned over her, even when she didn't know
167 that Tomoyo was in love with her. Confused and embarrassed, Sakura
168 stood for Tomoyo's approval.A sudden intake of breath. An excited
169 gasp. "Sakura-chan, you're so sexy!" Tomoyo crooned, standing up to
170 travel around Sakura with her camcorder, wanting every available
171 angle of her semi-nude friend. A light giggle escaped her when she
172 was behind Sakura. "No, you should keep debating. If you did whatever
173 I wanted in the first place, then you wouldn't be wearing anything at
174 all."
175
176 For Sakura, who had just started to regain her composure, the
177 comment was like a bag had dropped on her stomach. She was blushing
178 darkly again and at a loss for words instantly. "T..Tomoyo-chan!" The
179 tone of her voice was supposed to be chiding, but it sounded more
180 like a shy refutal. A soft hand on her back, just above the bra, made
181 Sakura start. Tomoyo's hand, silky and warm against her skin. Letting
182 her eyes fall closed, the Cardmistress felt each delicate finger
183 caress in a pattern on her bare skin, her breath nearly catching
184 before she remembered to keep breathing.
185
186 "Sakura-chan, you aren't such a shy girl most of the time. I bet
187 when you get used to being with Li-kun, you'll be a tiger in the
188 bedroom. You shouldn't act all shy for the camera. Then I won't get
189 to see what you'd really be like in the lingerie. Don't focus on the
190 clothes. Focus on Sakura-chan. Be Sakura-chan in the clothes."
191
192
193 Tomoyo's voice had it's cheering quality that came to her whenever
194 she was rooting for Sakura, no matter what the situation may be.
195 Sakura found it highly effective, even now. Her blush subsiding
196 somewhat, she stepped away, moving again. This time, she moved more
197 quickly, more sure of herself, keeping her embarrassment in the back
198 of her mind. Putting on her brightest smile, she spun to face the
199 camera, moving as if she wasn't the least bit shy about what she was
200 in. Her eyes caught Tomoyo returning her smile. That made Sakura even
201 happier. Ribbons and lace swished as she moved about the room, posing
202 with all her athletic body was worth.
203
204 For her part, Tomoyo hurried to keep track of Sakura, wanting to get
205 every shot she could of her beautiful friend. The way she moved...
206 The way she smiled... The sparkle in her eyes... The way the cloth
207 rustled against her skin... If there was any place closer to Heaven,
208 Tomoyo had not visited there yet. Sighing dreamily, she tried her
209 hardest to keep up with her athletic friend, barely noticing as her
210 pale cheeks flushed and her breath quickened. She stepped lithely up
211 onto the bed and back onto the other side like a sprite, never taking
212 the camcorder away from Sakura's gorgeous, sensuous form. How Sakura
213 could not notice how incredibly beautiful she had become was beyond
214 the heiress. The task of making sure Sakura was told, and quite
215 often, had fallen into her able hands.
216
217 "Tsubasa," Tomoyo said at last, as Sakura had twirled in front of
218 the bed.
219
220 "Hmmm?" The Cardmistress looked over as if broken from a trance.
221 Quizzical, she tilted her head as she stood near the foot of the bed.
222 "I named your butt Tsubasa. You were wondering what I named the
223 pieces of you. That's what I named it. Because it's cute and soft
224 like the feathers on a wing and because it looks like it's been
225 lifted up by beautiful wings." Tomoyo smiled brightly as she
226 explained. Chewing on her lip thoughtfully, she added. "And I saw a
227 lot of it when you used to fly on your staff. So I guess the wing
228 motif just followed easily from there, since it was framed by the two
229 wings on your staff."
230
231 Another blush spread quickly. But this blush was a little different.
232 It was tempered with a playful frustration. Growling, Sakura grabbed
233 her pillow. "Tomoyo-chan! Stop embarrassing me!" Before Tomoyo could
234 react, the athletic girl pounced, hitting her friend again and again
235 with the soft pillow. That heart melting giggle of Tomoyo's
236 accompanied Sakura's feather soft blows as Sakura bopped her on the
237 head again and again, watching Tomoyo's long hair fly wild about them
238 in their one-sided battle.
239
240 And as soon as it had begun, it was over. The two lay on the bed,
241 panting heavily. Tomoyo's pale cheeks were flushed darkly, her
242 fragile body exerted from all of the hopping and running and playing
243 they had done. Sakura lay on her side, facing the other girl, her
244 heart pounding from the exertion. Or maybe it was pounding from the
245 way Tomoyo's stormy blue eyes gazed so lovingly into her own. Or the
246 way Tomoyo's tender fingers trailed delicately up and down her side.
247 Or the way Tomoyo's bare foot felt against her own through the cloth
248 of her stockings. Or the way Tomoyo's now messy lavender hair framed
249 her so beautifully on the bed.
250
251 Fingers slid up to Sakura's bra, tracing over the fabric for just a
252 moment before beginning their downward spiral back to the brunette's
253 hips. Tomoyo gazed into Sakura's eyes, so glad to have them looking
254 back at her. Those emerald orbs had always fascinated her. Some
255 nights when she couldn't sleep, she would take a look into those eyes
256 in one of her pictures or videotapes and fall asleep imagining she
257 were safe in Sakura's arms. Now, lying so close to her, almost like
258 lovers, Tomoyo felt that delicious feeling that accompanies our
259 longing for the person we love without the bad aftertaste of knowing
260 they are out of our reach. Maybe they weren't locked in a lover's
261 embrace, but Sakura was so close, so soft, so lovely. And that was
262 enough for Tomoyo.A small pink tongue darted over dry lips, trying
263 desperately to wet them. Whether it was in case Tomoyo should happen
264 to kiss her or just because they were dry, Sakura couldn't really
265 tell. Her heart was thundering now, her eyes enthralled to Tomoyo.
266 She couldn't pull her gaze away if she tried. A delightful shiver
267 passed through her body as her friend's fingers traced over her hip
268 and back up again. This was a position she had thought she'd end up
269 with Syaoran in, facing in each other, blushing and waiting for him
270 to kiss her. Would Tomoyo kiss her? Did Tomoyo want to kiss her? What
271 would she do if Tomoyo did kiss her? Her breath slipped out and she
272 prayed that Tomoyo didn't notice how anxious she was. About what? Was
273 she scared that Tomoyo would kiss her? Or rather, was she scared that
274 Tomoyo wouldn't kiss her? And all the while, those incredibly deep
275 stormy blue eyes, the color of the beautiful yet sad stormclouds that
276 greet us on spring days, gazed longingly back at her. She didn't want
277 to move, didn't want to breathe. Her foot pushed experimentally
278 against Tomoyo's and was delighted to find Tomoyo's petite foot push
279 back, Tomoyo's small toes playing with her own.
280
281 Sakura knew Tomoyo could see her, could see almost all of her in the
282 lingerie she wore. And yet, she couldn't get herself to do anything
283 about it. Why would she want to? Tomoyo liked her in it. The heiress
284 had said as much. And now... Now she didn't want to move. But she
285 wanted to do -something-. Anything. But no actions came to mind. No
286 words came to her rescue. It was only her and Tomoyo and those
287 deliciously confusing feelings that slid over her like cool water on
288 a hot day.
289
290 Tomoyo, meanwhile, was getting more adventurous. Sakura hadn't so
291 much as eeked in embarrassment since they had found themselves facing
292 each other on the bed. Her hand was going alternatingly higher and
293 lower. Up past Sakura's bra. Down past Sakura's pantied. Feeling the
294 brunette's athletic body under her fingertips. The cute, confused
295 look in Sakura's eyes made her want to be with the Cardmistress even
296 more. She wanted to help Sakura make up her mind, to end up doing
297 something she'd wanted to do for years. And right now, would Sakura
298 stop her? Would Sakura even want her to stop? Her mind played over
299 the thoughts carefully, trying to unravel them. In the meantime, her
300 foot continued to play more and more with Sakura's, neither girl
301 gaining ground, but neither wanting to, content to continue their
302 game. On this turn up Sakura's side, Tomoyo stopped at Sakura's bra,
303 just under her arm. Fingers caressed the skin underneath the cloth
304 for a long moment. Almost imperceptibly, the fingers moved across the
305 cloth. Forward. Slowly, slowly. The fingertips moved as if in slow
306 motion to the front of Sakura's bra, tracing Sakura's slightly larger
307 breasts as they went. They continued to play their designs over
308 Sakura's skin, Tomoyo's eyes ever ready for any flicker of Sakura's
309 face. The brunette simply blushed more but did nothing to stop her.
310 Moving apart and together again, her fingertips played across the
311 thin fabric over Sakura's skin. To Tomoyo's delight, she could feel
312 Sakura reacting, her fingers rubbing over the slowly hardening nub of
313 Sakura's nipple under the bra. She continued to play with it, pushing
314 and circling and rubbing through the cloth, watching as Sakura gazed
315 back, their feet still locked in their battle. Just as slowly as she
316 had done with her fingers, Tomoyo's head inched closer. Perhaps...
317 just a kiss? A delicious, Sakura tasting kiss? It couldn't do any
318 harm, could it? Not if part of Sakura wanted her to, right? And dear
319 god did she hope that's what she saw in Sakura's eyes. Her nose slid
320 past Sakura's now, their eyes still locked. Warm breath played
321 against her lips. Just another moment. Tomoyo was incredibly patient.
322 She could wait a lifetime if she had to. She could almost feel
323 Sakura's lips against her own. Just a little
324 closer....Trrrrrrrrrrrrriiiiillll.....
325
326 Sakura blinked dumbly. Trrrrrrrrrrrrrrrriiiiiiiiilllllll..........
327
328 Bolting up, a new wave of embarrassment coursing through her, Sakura
329 searched quickly for her cell phone. Where had she put it? Sliding
330 off the bed, stocking clad feet padded across the floor. Heart
331 pounding in her chest, Sakura couldn't think of what to say, only to
332 keep looking for the damn phone. And to tell them she'd call them
333 back. She had more important things to think about right
334 now."Goodnight, Sakura-chan," Tomoyo whispered as Sakura grabbed the
335 cell phone so as not to disturb whoever was on the line. Her lips
336 brushed against Sakura's cheek, kissing softly. Sakura's cheek warmed
337 under her lips. Smoothing out her skirt, the dark haired girl
338 disappeared from the room like an elegant Cinderella from her ball.
339 And no less anxious and confused as Cinderella's prince sat Sakura.
340 She reached out, wanting to call Tomoyo back, but the phone was
341 already answering. Her voice echoed shakily on the line, her mind
342 elsewhere. What had been about to happen? And why did she feel so
343 disappointed that it didn't?
344 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
345
346 The soft vibration of a sweet hum reached the door to the appartment
347 Sakura shared with Tomoyo before the brunette reached it herself. Her
348 exaltant hum was the product of her classes finally coming to an end
349 for another week as well as the generally positive upswing her life
350 had taken in general. Living with her best friend was more fun than
351 she had imagined. They shared a wonderfully cute and eccentric
352 (thanks in no small part to Tomoyo) appartment. And now Sakura even
353 had a job that she could pour herself into. To celebrate her good
354 fortune, she had deigned it a worthy cause to stop by the grocery
355 store on the way home and get supplies for a feast. When Tomoyo got
356 home that night, there would be a wonderful meal waiting for her.
357 'Hanyaa...' Sakura thought happily, her smile broadening as she
358 slipped her keys into the door. Everything felt so amazing. It almost
359 felt like she was dreaming. And wouldn't Tomoyo be excited to come
360 home to a meal she cooked for her! A small giggle escaped the
361 brunette as she pushed the door open.
362
363 "Can I start on the strawberries?" Kero's voice carried from the
364 grocery bag. A small rustling noise preceded his appearance, his
365 small head popping up out of the bag. "They look soooooo good..." His
366 tiny eyes looked up to Sakura, pleading. They searched for mercy.
367 They found none.
368
369 "Kero-chan!! Out! Those things are all for the meal tonight! The
370 strawberries are for desert. I'll make some for you, too, I promise.
371 But you better not be eating any of my ingredients!" Sakura harumphed
372 when Kero pouted. Plans for her dinner with Tomoyo wouldn't be ruined
373 because Kero had an endless stomach. Her moods immediately lightened
374 at the thought, she nearly twirled into the appartment.
375
376 "Tomoyo-chan?"
377
378 The twirling ceased immidiately. Blink blink. Someone was inside?
379 Someone who sounded awfully familiar. "Sakura-chan! It's you. I
380 thought Tomoyo said something about you coming home earlier than she
381 did on these days." Sonomi smiled brilliantly, still in her dashing
382 business suit and skirt. Her prowess as a businesswoman hid her years
383 as an athlete. The hug she gave Sakura certainly didn't hide that
384 aspect, nearly pulling Sakura off her feet. "You're always so cute,
385 Sakura-chan. Tomoyo's rants about you almost don't do you justice.
386 Almost." Grinning with what could only be the Daidouji family smile,
387 something that both generations of Daidouji women did an incredible
388 amount of around Sakura, she placed her hands on the younger woman's
389 shoulders. "Is Tomoyo-chan with you? I thought I heard you talking
390 when you came in."Sakura was still in a state of confusion. Slowly,
391 bit by bit, it was being processed into usable information in her
392 brain. Sonomi had a key to the appartment. Tomoyo had told her when
393 they'd come home the second night and found roses left for them by
394 Sonomi. Now onto the more immediate, pressing matters. Sweatdropping
395 and stammering profusely, Sakura said the first thing that came to
396 mind. "C...Cell phone... I was on the cell phone when I came in..."
397 Laughing nervously, she hoped that would be enough for Tomoyo's
398 mother."You brought groceries home," Sonomi observed. "How cute!" She
399 clasped her hands together.
400
401 "Well, yeah..." Sakura blushed and walked to the kitchen. "I was
402 going to make dinner for me and Tomoyo-chan." A muffled 'And me' came
403 from the grocery bag, but Sakura coughed and nudged the bag as she
404 set it down on the counter.
405
406 "That's wonderful! Tomoyo-chan will be so happy when she gets home.
407 I'll help you with it. I'll go when Tomoyo-chan gets home so I won't
408 get in the way of your dinner," Sonomi decided, starting to unpack
409 one of the bags."You will?" Sakura asked excitedly. Though her own
410 cooking skills were good, she had more faith in those of Sonomi.
411 Working with Tomoyo's mother, she knew they could make something
412 delicious. "Thanks, Sonomi-san!" she said happily. Her eyes shot open
413 when she saw Sonomi's hand snake into the bag, searching for that
414 last object in the bag. Kero-chan!
415
416 Sonomi's lithe hand withdrew from the bag holding onto Kero's small,
417 plush body. The businesswoman inspected the figure for a long moment.
418 A sad, nostalgic smile played across her lips. "You really are a lot
419 like your mother sometimes, Sakura-chan." A finger gently traced over
420 Kero's face. "She used to drag some of her dolls around with her
421 everywhere. I used to tell her she'd be dragging them around even
422 when she was an adult. She laughed and asked why she'd do anything
423 but." The older brunette shook her head, still smiling as she set
424 down the Seal Beast.
425
426 "Then Tomoyo-chan must have gotten a lot from you, too, Sonomi-san.
427 She's beautiful, talented, and elegant. Just like you," Sakura
428 offered, returning the older woman's smile as she got out the
429 utensils for the night's meal. There was another thing that Sonomi
430 shared with her daughter. When Sakura heard Sonomi speak of her
431 mother, Nadeshiko, it came with that same loving tone that Tomoyo's
432 held when the dark haired girl spoke of Sakura. There was something
433 almost sad in it, something that always made the Cardmistress miss
434 her mother even more.
435
436 A laugh escaped Sonomi as she searched for the aprons. "Sometimes I
437 think Tomoyo-chan got more from your mother than she got from me.
438 She's very, very loving. And so... ethereal. It's almost like she's
439 an angel. Just like your mother." Her quest came up triumphant as she
440 pulled out two aprons, handing one to her daughter's friend.Sakura
441 nodded in wholehearted agreement as she tied the apron on tight.
442 "Tomoyo-chan is very much like an angel. Sometimes I'm surprised that
443 she's not the one with wings." A nervous laugh quickly followed.
444 Sonomi wouldn't get the part about the fact that she could have wings
445 herself when she wanted. Though Tomoyo seemed far more deserving of
446 them in Sakura's mind. The dark haired girl really did seem like an
447 angel, Sakura's guardian angel. Sighing dreamily, Sakura got to work
448 on preparing the food.
449
450 Brushing her brunette hair out of her eyes with her free hand,
451 Sonomi watched Sakura chopping the vegetables. A smile tugged at the
452 corners of her mouth. It was easy to see what her daughter loved
453 about the younger woman. Being around Sakura always brought back
454 memories of the girl's mother. And Tomoyo lit up like the moon
455 lights up from the sun's rays when she was around Sakura. The
456 businesswoman was happy to have Sakura as part of her life, as very
457 nearly a part of her family. When she saw Sakura's emerald eyes
458 shimmering at her, it was hard for her to tell that she wasn't
459 looking into Nadeshiko's eyes. "If you're very lucky in this life,
460 you'll fall in love, truly in love, once. You'll find your one, true
461 love. I'm not talking about all the crushes, all the people who take
462 a place in your heart. Just the one who you can't help loving, who
463 warms your heart, who makes you better just by being around." Sonomi
464 smiled softly, her stormy blue eyes distant. "I found mine, a long
465 time ago. She was... the most beautiful, wonderful thing in my life.
466 I was always so happy when I was with her. When I lost her... I
467 didn't think I could go on. If I hadn't had Tomoyo, I might not have
468 been able to." She shook her head, her stormy blue eyes a little
469 darker now, the color of clouds about to storm. Smiling at Sakura,
470 she tilts her head to the side ever so slightly. "I think Tomoyo
471 found hers, too. I hope that you find yours.""I... did..." Sakura's
472 voice trailed off. She had found her one, true love, right? Syaoran
473 had been her boyfriend for years now. They'd been together through a
474 lot. They loved each other. But did she really love him more than
475 she'd loved Yukito? Or even the feelings she had gotten from Mizuki-
476 sensei? When she thought about him, warm thoughts surfaced. But did
477 she feel that she was better around him? Did he ensnare her the way
478 Sonomi's heart had so obviously been caught so long ago? She loved
479 him, of course, she reminded herself. They'd been together all these
480 years. But those feelings... They did sound familiar. Someone who
481 mader her better... Someone who always made her feel all hanyaan...
482 Sakura's hand slipped, cutting a jagged slice out of the vegetable
483 she was working on as the image turned in her mind. Tomoyo. Her heart
484 beat a confused, staccatto rhythm in her chest. That was different.
485 Tomoyo was her best friend. Of course the dark haired girl made her
486 happy and embarrassed and warm and strong. It was... Yeah.... Sakura
487 nodded slightly to herself, trying to keep her thoughts straight.
488 "That's great, Sakura-chan," Sonomi replied, forcing a smile. Truth
489 be told, she couldn't stand the boy who had taken away Sakura from
490 her daughter. Granted, Tomoyo tried to convince her that he was the
491 one that made Sakura happy. But Sonomi knew beyond the shadow of a
492 doubt that her daughter could make Sakura just as happy, if not much,
493 much more so. But, alas, that didn't seem to be in the cards. Again.
494 Just like with Nadeshiko. She sighed inwardly. Well, she wouldn't let
495 it happen that way again. She wasn't about to see her little girl end
496 up all alone like she did. Fishing around in her purse, she pulled
497 out a large photo of a beautiful woman. Holding it out in her strong
498 yet gentle hands, Sonomi smiled. "That's Sugaru Kurumiya. She does
499 some modelling, like your mother used to. Her mother and I are
500 friends. I kept saying we should get her together with Tomoyo. Sugaru
501 is great in front of the camera and Tomoyo is a wizard behind the
502 camera. I finally convinced Tomoyo-chan to go out on a date with her.
503 Isn't that great?" Sonomi sighed, putting the picture away. "My baby
504 is going on her first date. How cute... It's too bad she won't be
505 able to record it. I'd love to see the video."The knife slid off the
506 carrot Sakura was cutting. "Wh...what?" Her eyes blinked in
507 disbelief. It should have been an obvious eventuality, but like all
508 things we don't want to think of, Sakura had stored it away as
509 something that would happen 'later', in that indeterminate future we
510 hope will never come. And now it had. "Tomoyo-chan's going on a date?
511 But..." Her mind raced to find a good reason to call off the date,
512 but she found none. Her heart sank at the thought of Tomoyo
513 videotaping some other girl, a model at that. Didn't Tomoyo say she
514 was the most amazing thing to videotape? And going out on a date...
515 'I love you, Sakura-chan.'. Sakura had heard that phrase over and
516 over for the past six years. And every time, she knew Tomoyo meant
517 it. Would this other girl take her place? Would she be the one to
518 make Tomoyo smile? Would Tomoyo make the other woman costumes and
519 make her blush and tell her how wonderful she was? Would she make her
520 feel like she could do anything? Would Tomoyo make her feel warm and
521 loved? The way she made Sakura feel?
522
523 Sakura wanted to drop to her knees. They suddenly felt weak and
524 watery. It seemed appropriate to say something nice about Tomoyo's
525 plan in perspective mates for her best friend, but she couldn't get
526 herself to compliment it. Instead, words came to her mouth that
527 ignored that line of thought altogether. "But Tomoyo-chan loves me. I
528 make her happy.""True," Sonomi conceded. "But you love Syaoran. And
529 Tomoyo's my baby. I want what's best for her. I want her to be happy
530 and loved and to be able to curl up in someone's arms when the day is
531 through. So I told her as much until she agreed to go on this date. I
532 think it will be good for her. The whole time you've been dating,
533 Tomoyo-chan has been all alone. Maybe you can give her some dating
534 tips."Sakura could only nod weakly. "Yeah... dating tips..." She
535 suddenly didn't feel like making dinner. With a heavy heart, she went
536 back to preparing for her now less than anticipated celebration
537 dinner.
538
539 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
540
541 "And that concludes today's lecture. Please remember to do the
542 reading for next class." Professor Fujitaka Kinomoto smiled
543 pleasantly at his students as they passed, busying himself with
544 putting his papers neatly back in his briefcase. Out of the corner of
545 his eye, he could see the pale figure and dark hair of a woman that
546 always reminded him of his wife. Sonomi couldn't have done a better
547 job with a tribute to Nadeshiko. He shook off the thought and smiled
548 over at his daughter's best friend.
549
550 "Hello, Kinomoto-sensei. You said you wanted to see me after class?"
551 The darkhaired girl tilted her head to the side curiously. Her hair
552 swayed with the small motion, the dark silk a stark contrast with her
553 pale skin. Leaning down, Fujitaka produced a large box, setting it on
554 the table. "I made a chocolate cake yesterday night and I realized I
555 couldn't eat it all by myself. I was hoping you and Sakura would have
556 it." It was an excuse, of course. He used to cook for his children
557 when he would have the chance, but now that his youngest child had
558 moved away, he had found himself missing them. Deciding to make the
559 cake for Sakura was a way of remembering times gone by.
560
561 Tomoyo bowed politely before gingerly picking up the box. "I know
562 Sakura-chan will love it. She always loved your food. I'm sure it's
563 delicious," the lavender haired girl insisted.
564
565 Smiling wistfully, the professor shook his head. "I never would have
566 thought you'd be interested in archeology, Tomoyo-chan."Tomoyo
567 giggled softly. "I have very broad interests, Kinomoto-sensei. I
568 think it's a very interesting course."
569 The rest of Fujitaka's papers slowly found their way into his
570 briefcase. Standing, he motioned for Tomoyo to follow him. "Your
571 mother must not have been pleased with you taking my course. She
572 still hasn't forgiven me about... things." He knew that Tomoyo had
573 probably grown up hearing her mother's anger with him, that he had
574 stolen what was most precious to her. Caution dictated that he be
575 careful with this subject. "On the contrary. When I told her, she
576 frowned for a moment and then said that if I had to take archeology,
577 it might as well be from you. She said you had been a very good
578 teacher when she was younger and that you'd be good to learn it
579 from," Tomoyo explained, her heels clicking as they walked down the
580 hallway of the university. A small, grateful smile crossed Fujitaka's
581 lips. It was nice to know that even if Sonomi hated him for 'taking
582 away' Nadeshiko, she still had some nice things to say about him.
583 Sonomi had always been a strong willed woman with the proud soul of a
584 warrior. Despite her hatred of him, her rival, she still respected
585 him. It was nice to hear that from her daughter, because he doubted
586 he'd ever hear it from Sonomi herself. And he knew Sonomi would never
587 accept his praise for her, no matter how heartfelt it may be.
588
589 He still remembered how devestated Nadeshiko had been when Sonomi
590 hadn't come to the wedding. Nadeshiko kept running out to see if her
591 best friend had arrived, thinking that she was only late. But Sonomi
592 never came. And until Nadeshiko got sick the final time, that was the
593 last time the two had seen each other. Nadeshiko had smiled brightly
594 and gone on with the wedding, but he had seen how hurt she was not to
595 have her cousin share in it with her. Nadeshiko had been such a
596 charming, lovely, happy woman for the time she had spent with her
597 family. But the one shadow that had stayed with her was losing
598 Sonomi. It didn't go away until the end, when Sonomi came to visit
599 her in the hospital. She had told him late at night in her hospital
600 bed that she was happy now. 'I have you, Touya-chan, and Sakura-chan.
601 And now I have Sonomi-chan again. I'm happy now. I'm happy with how
602 things turned out. Please don't cry for me, Fujitaka." And she had
603 smiled, a smile devoid of that haunted shadow. So he had never cried
604 for her, just as she had asked.
605 The girl that could be a young copy of his wife was watching him as
606 they walked in silence for a moment. Offering another smile, he
607 pushed his glasses up. "I'm very glad Sonomi-san would think so." His
608 eyes looked just a trifle concerned as he looked over at his student.
609 "How is Sakura?" It was impossible to keep concern completely out of
610 his voice. Sakura was his little girl, after all. "Sakura-chan is
611 wonderful as always," Tomoyo replied, a soft sigh escaping her lips.
612 It never took much work to get her mind on Sakura, if indeed her mind
613 ever left that line of thought in the first place. Being so near the
614 brunette as of late had been like a dream, her heart overflowing with
615 happiness at the prospect of so very much Sakura in her life.
616 Fujitaka laughed at the dreamy look on Tomoyo's face as well as the
617 pale girl's reply. "I meant to ask how she was doing," he corrected
618 himself.
619
620 Demurely holding her bag in front of her, Tomoyo giggled as well.
621 "Sakura-chan has been doing well lately. She misses you and Touya-
622 san, but it's wonderful seeing her on her own. She's so strong
623 willed. You should really see her. She's giving it her all. I know
624 that she likes working for mother. The two of them get along very
625 well. They're similar in a lot of ways. And Sakura-chan is doing well
626 in her classes. She was always a good student and we study together
627 some nights.""She's not on her own. She has you, Tomoyo-chan,"
628 Fujitaka replied. "You've always helped her so much. I really have to
629 thank you for all you've done for her.""It's all my pleasure. I love
630 being near Sakura-chan. I want her to be happy. I'd do anything for
631 her. If I can be near her, if I can help her from time to time,
632 that's enough for me." The pale heiress tucked some hair behind her
633 ear, looking forward.
634
635 "I think you make her very happy," Fujitaka offered. "She's always
636 so happy when she's with you." Stopping in front of his office, he
637 turns to the small woman. "I want you to know I'd have been happy to
638 have you as a daughter-in-law." It was small consolation, he knew,
639 but it was true. Tomoyo was so much like Nadeshiko, an angel in
640 anyone's life. He would have been happy to see Sonomi's daughter with
641 his own. But because it hadn't worked out that way, he could only
642 offer that.
643
644 "Thank you," Tomoyo said wholeheartedly. "I'm glad you'd think so. I
645 know mother would have loved having Sakura-chan as part of the
646 family, too," she replied, grinning. Her lithe frame bowed. "Thank
647 you for the cake, Sensei. Sakura-chan and I will share it tonight."
648 Turning, she swished softly towards the exit.
649
650 "I can't believe Sonomi-chan had her wear her hair like mine," a
651 soft voice said behind Fujitaka, almost poutily. "I didn't know she
652 missed me so much."Fujitaka smiled softly, turning to the source of
653 the voice, the ghostly form of his wife. "You always cute Sakura-
654 chan's hair short like Sonomi-san."The woman tilted her hair to the
655 side, giving a puzzled look. Her angel wings blazed with an inner
656 light. "Yeah, but I knew how much I missed Sonomi-chan. I didn't know
657 she missed me as much as I missed her." Her emerald green eyes
658 sparkled as she nearly floated about his office. "I need to see her
659 again," she whispered. Fujitaka nodded. "I know." He had never owned
660 Nadeshiko's heart. He doubted anyone ever could. He was blessed with
661 Nadeshiko's love. But so was Sonomi. It was the way of things. Was
662 Sakura the same way, he wondered? Would Sakura get hurt just as
663 Nadeshiko had because her heart was too open, too loving? Did Sakura
664 love her boyfriend as well as her best friend? He hoped that whatever
665 happened, Sakura wouldn't have the same haunted look as his wife when
666 Sonomi had left her side all those years ago when they had announced
667 their wedding.
668
669 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
670
671 The appartment was quiet when Tomoyo finally got home. Her head
672 tilted to the side, listening for the familiar noises of Kero playing
673 videogames or Sakura making any of a hanful of noises Tomoyo could
674 name instantly. Leaving her shoes by the door, the pale girl treaded
675 softly across the floor. "Sakura-chan? Kero-chan?" Her voice carried
676 in the appartment. Her stormy blue eyes glanced to their living room,
677 seeing the table where Sakura had tossed her backpack and the DVDs of
678 Sakura lying on top of the large television. Sakura was home, at any
679 rate. And something certainly smelled delicious.
680
681 "Tomoyo-chan!" In a flurry of feathers, Sakura had crashed into
682 Tomoyo, hurtling into her like a small, Sakura-sized freight train.
683 Her small wings wrapped around the dark haired girl along with her
684 arms. The two almost fell over, but Sakura's wings opened up and gave
685 a quick flap, sending them back to their feet. Sakura's bare feet
686 were nearly on top of Tomoyo's socks. A soft giggle escaped the
687 heiress. "I missed you, too, Sakura-chan." Tomoyo's hands rested on
688 Sakura's hips as they stood that way for a moment. Leaning forward,
689 she nuzzled Sakura's chestnut hair, enjoying the smell that permeated
690 her noise. She always loved Sakura's hair. It made her want to be
691 there to wash it for the other girl. To run her hands through
692 Sakura's hair... She pushed away from the tempting thoughts. "You've
693 been out flying?"Pulling away, slightly embarrassed, Sakura nodded.
694 "I needed... Well, I wanted to see the view," the Cardmistress nodded
695 quickly. Truthfully, she had flown off after Sonomi had left to try
696 and clear her mind. It hadn't worked. The idea of Tomoyo finally
697 going on a date still left her with a bad taste in her mouth. But how
698 could she tell Tomoyo that? 'Don't date. I want you to love me and
699 only me. But I'll still be loving Syaoran, so you don't get anything
700 that you want.' Sakura felt ashamed of even thinking such a thing.
701 How good a friend was she if she would feel jealous of Tomoyo dating?
702 But still, she couldn't help it. And she knew she needed to change
703 the subject before Tomoyo's almost magical powers of perception found
704 her out. "I made you dinner. Well, Sonomi-san helped. She was by
705 earlier. So we made dinner for you. It's a celebration. For our new
706 job and our new appartment and... and everything!" Smiling, Sakura
707 took Tomoyo's hands, leading her to the kitchen where any number of
708 treats awaited. It had taken all of her strength to drag Kero out
709 after Sonomi had left. Her genuine smile and the excitement that
710 coursed threw her at the idea of showing Tomoyo the meal she'd cooked
711 for her helped keep Tomoyo from digging deeper into her concerns. "It
712 looks delicious, Sakura-chan!" Tomoyo said, amazed. Turning to
713 Sakura, the brunette's eyes sparkled happily. "It all looks
714 wonderful. It's a perfect dinner. Even more perfect because it was
715 made by Sakura-chan." The dark haired girl sighed dreamily, imagining
716 Sakura in an apron, laboring over the stove for her sake. How sweet!
717 Taking Sakura's hands, she squeezed them, pulling them to her heart.
718 "I'm so lucky to have you for a roommate."Blushing, Sakura looked
719 down. That simply gave her a good look of Tomoyo's beautiful form,
720 clad as it was in a cute white dress. Her eyes shot up only to get
721 anchored to Tomoyo's stormy blue eyes gazing affectionately into her
722 own. "I'm lucky to have you for a roommate, too, Tomoyo-chan. I just
723 wanted to show you how much," she said after a moment's silence. It
724 was the wrong thing to say if she was trying to extricate herself
725 from an embarrassing situation. Tomoyo let out a delighted sigh and
726 practically melted into her arms, hugging Sakura tightly.
727
728 "Thank you, Sakura-chan!" Tomoyo said blissfully. "Ummm... Tomoyo-
729 chan, I think we better eat before it gets cold." Sakura hurried over
730 to the dishes after Tomoyo finally let her go, her cheeks still
731 flushed pink. She had hoped it would go over well, but this went over
732 much better than she'd expected. Tomoyo followed her to the counter,
733 watching her prepare the plates. Picking up a bite of the food with
734 her chopsticks, she turned and offered the bite to Tomoyo. Leaning
735 forward, the other girl took the bite, eating it from Sakura's
736 chopsticks. 'Hanyaan...' Sakura thought, smiling brightly. She felt
737 warm and fuzzy inside, glad to be with her friend. Her worries took a
738 small vacation, overcome by her currently shining emotional state.
739 The two decided to forgo eating at the table and finished up dinner
740 like that, Sakura feeding Tomoyo bite after bite with her chopsticks.
741
742 "You're such a good cook, Sakura-chan!" Tomoyo said between bites.
743 They were both leaning against the counter, and her eyes traced over
744 the other woman, delighting in Sakura's smile. Leaning forward, she
745 took another bite. Her mother felt bad for her that Sakura was in
746 love with another, but Tomoyo was incredibly grateful to be Sakura's
747 best friend. And moments like this were worth just about anything.
748 Having Sakura feed her, seeing the brunette smile and lift the food
749 to her lips, it made her heart swell. Her love for the Cardmistress
750 was almost overwhelming at times like this. Oh, how she wanted to
751 reach out and embrace her. These moments were glimpses of her dreams,
752 little bits of her fantasies of being with Sakura. Even if she
753 couldn't have Sakura's love, she was more than happy for the little
754 pieces she could collect. And for a moment, she could forget that
755 Sakura's heart belonged to another and simply revel in the here and
756 now. She 'mmm'ed as Sakura pulled the chopsticks away.
757
758 "Thanks, Tomoyo-chan. I was hoping you'd like it." Sakura took
759 another morsel up to Tomoyo's lips, waiting for it to disappear
760 between Tomoyo's soft, cute lips. Her heart pounded as it indeed
761 disappeared, the slight tug on the chopstickes signalling the end of
762 that bite. She had faint memories of wanting to feed Yukito
763 strawberries when she was younger. This was the feeling she'd
764 imagined along with it, that warm throbbing of her heart and the
765 utterly perfect feeling of it all. Tomoyo smiled at her openly and
766 lovingly, accepting each bite graciously, almost as if starved for a
767 piece of Sakura's creation, the love Sakura had peppered throughout
768 the meal. "Of course I'd like it," Tomoyo assured her. "I like
769 anything Sakura-chan." With Sakura pausing before getting more food,
770 the heiress took the time to give one of her patented smiles. "Tomoyo-
771 chan..." Sakura sighed, mock chiding. "What am I going to do with
772 you?"Placing her finger on her chin, Tomoyo looked deep in thought.
773 "I can think of another things, but I think we'd need to make sure
774 Kero-chan was in another room." Her eyes travelled over Sakura's
775 graceful form, her smile growing. "We'll have to tell him to turn up
776 the television, too. How loudly do you moan?""T...Tomoyo-chan...."
777 Her face darkening, Sakura quickly grabbed another bite, popping it
778 into Tomoyo's mouth to keep her quiet for a moment while a very
779 embarrassed Sakura regained her composure. Tomoyo smiled at her,
780 undaunted, and chewed the bite away. "You're so terrible. You
781 shouldn't tease me like that." Her heart was racing and she couldn't
782 tear her eyes away from the beautiful heiress before her.Finishing
783 the bite, Tomoyo finally spoke again. "It isn't teasing if you mean
784 what you're saying," the lavender haired girl corrected. "It's more
785 of an offer." She nodded after a moment, affirming that it was indeed
786 an offer. Resting her hands on Tomoyo's shoulders, Sakura giggled,
787 her cheeks still slightly red. Her forehead came to rest against
788 Tomoyo's. "I don't know what I'd do without you, Tomoyo-chan."Letting
789 her eyes fall closed, Tomoyo felt her heartbeat quicken. Did Sakura
790 know what a huge affect she had on her? How her heart would get so
791 wild when she was near like this? Oh, Sakura... "I'm sure Sakura-chan
792 would be fine without me. I just try to help when I can," she got
793 out, her voice a little too soft. It was almost hard to think,
794 feeling Sakura against her, knowing she was so close. 'Can we please
795 stay like this?' Tomoyo wanted to ask, but she feared she was too
796 breathless to get it out. Sakura had no idea of her true power, the
797 way she held Tomoyo's heart enthralled to her.
798
799 Sakura shook her head, her hair rustling against Tomoyo's. "You're
800 my strength, Tomoyo-chan. I was talking to Sonomi-san earlier. She
801 made me think of how lucky I am to have you. You make me stronger. I
802 wouldn't have been able to have done it all without you. Syaoran
803 helped me a lot, but you made me strong enough to get through it
804 all." Her voice was starting to choke up. The thought of anyone
805 taking Tomoyo away was like the thought of getting her oxygen taken
806 away, something incredibly important. She would be so empty without
807 Tomoyo. Her strength would flee her without Tomoyo to hold her up.
808 "With you..." her eyes sparkled with unshed tears when she looked
809 into Tomoyo's eyes. "With you, everything will always be all right."
810
811 "Sakura-chan..." Tomoyo's fingers reached up, gently stroking
812 Sakura's cheek. "I'm not going anywhere. I'm right here. I'll always
813 be here for you. I'll always love you. Whether you love me or not, my
814 heart will always be yours. I'll always be there to help you go
815 forward, to help show you how strong and beautiful and wonderful you
816 are. You make sure that everything will always be all right, Sakura-
817 chan. That's your magic. I just make sure that you remember it and
818 pour your heart into it." Her hand trailed to Sakura's heart. "You
819 have to believe it with all your heart. And I'm here to make sure you
820 know how true it is, how you can accomplish anything." Sakura's
821 heartbeat was quick under her palm. She left her palm there, counting
822 the beats in her mind. Sakura's heart, kissing her palm. The heiress
823 smiled softly. "Let's have cake, Sakura-chan. Your father made you
824 some. We'll have that and watch a movie. And I'll be right here with
825 you." Sakura's heart slowly calmed against her palm.The brunette
826 nodded almost imperceptibly at first, but more assuredly a second
827 time. "That sounds nice, Tomoyo-chan. I'd like that." She held
828 Tomoyo's hand to her heart, interlacing her fingers with Tomoyo's own
829 delicate fingers. She smiled when she opened her eyes, the tears
830 fading. They were a team, after all. Whatever happened.
831 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
832
833 Syaoran was so tired of talking to self-important people. How did
834 his mother handle all the meaningless blather? Yes, it was to keep
835 important ties between the Li Clan and other influential families and
836 people throughout Hong Kong. But it was so frustrating. Small talk
837 wasn't his forte. Everyone wanted to speak to the new heir to the Li
838 Clan and his mother, Ieran, made sure they were all directed neatly
839 to him. He had to make so many assurances and he had to discuss the
840 most inane things. It almost seemed like a better option to just walk
841 out of the damn thing. His sisters were much, much better with people
842 than he was, chatting away with the different guests they had.
843 Syaoran would have been happier practicing his magic out in the
844 gathering storm. It felt so crowded. He just wanted to get away for a
845 moment, but he knew he couldn't. This was his job now, his place as
846 the heir to the Li Clan.
847
848 A hand on his shoulder almost made him jump. Not another person to
849 talk to. His sister, Sheifa, had told him to try smiling more, but he
850 didn't feel like smiling for these people. Sighing inwardly, the
851 young magician turned to start some more worthless rambling about
852 things he didn't care for. Blink blink. A halfgrin and amber eyes met
853 his gaze.
854
855 Meiling smiled at him, arching a raven eyebrow. "Surprised to see
856 me? I just got here. I had to take care of some things for my
857 mother." Stepping closer, her voice dropped to a whisper. "Dance with
858 me. They'll leave you alone while you're dancing." Seeing the boy
859 hesitate for a moment, Meiling placed his hands on her body and began
860 to dance with him, moving towards the other couples who were dancing.
861 "See? That's not so bad. And no more stupid conversations you have to
862 pretend to be interested in."Syaoran let out a light sigh, giving
863 Meiling a nod as they moved. "Thanks, Meiling. I owe you one." He let
864 himself relax a bit, moving in tandem with Meiling. After years of
865 practicing martial arts with his cousin, they had very good rhythm
866 together. A few people looked on as they danced, surprised by how
867 good the two were. They knew where the other's movement would lead
868 them. It wasn't a problem of having to guess. They simply knew. So
869 for the time being, at least, Syaoran didn't have to worry about the
870 world around him. Meiling felt like an extension of himself, moving
871 with the same step as he did.
872
873 "Don't say that," Meiling whispered. "Or I'll hold you to it. And
874 you wouldn't like what I had you do to repay me," she warned, her
875 breath warm in his ear. She laughed softly as she saw him try to
876 scowl and fail, his cheeks just the lightest shade of red. "Your
877 sisters seem more well versed in the art of small talk." The raven
878 haired girl glanced across at one of Syaoran's sisters talking to an
879 important banker as they danced. "But I understand why you wouldn't
880 like it. I hate having to kiss up to these people. Sometimes I hate
881 family politics. Makes you just want to run off and scream." She
882 scrunched up her face and even Syaoran had to grin.
883
884 "Yeah, I know," Syaoran replied, sighing. "But there's nothing I
885 can do about it. This is my place now. I need to do what's best for
886 the Clan." He had been preparing for this postion his whole life. He
887 knew he was prepared for it. But that didn't make it any less
888 frustrating at times. It simply made him determined to push past it
889 all. He would prove he was a worthy successor. He would make his
890 mother proud even if it killed him.Meiling closed her eyes as they
891 danced, holding on tighter to her cousin. "I know what you mean. We
892 all have our roles to play in the family. It's bigger and more
893 important than what we want. But sometimes... Sometimes you just want
894 to go do something stupid, something just for you."
895
896 Nodding slowly, the brunette boy felt Meiling's long pigtail swish
897 over his hand, feeling her heart beating against his chest as they
898 danced. His arms pulled her closer almost without his noticing.
899 Sometimes Meiling could seem so fragile, so delicate. It was such a
900 departure from her normally strong, confident self. He always wanted
901 to protect her when she was like that, just as he had when they had
902 been children together. He wanted to make her feel warm and safe
903 again. He held her even closer, her breath caressing his neck. She
904 did so much for him. She had been his support this whole time,
905 helping him through all the trials that faced him. He felt useless
906 for not being able to return the favor. She didn't need his
907 protection anymore. She was a big girl, a strong woman. When they had
908 been children, she had needed him. But now, it was reversed. Now he
909 needed... With a curt nod of his head, he tried to slice the thought
910 off, but it didn't entirely go away.
911
912 Syaoran tried to send his mind elsewhere, turning slowly with her as
913 the music and chatter of voices surrounded them. Meiling was getting
914 married soon, sacrificed as another offering for the family. He could
915 go out on a limb and try to stop the marriage, but she didn't care.
916 He felt as if he had failed her somehow. Did she love him? No, of
917 course not. But she wasn't fighting the marriage, even with her fiery
918 spirit. Had he crushed her spirits? All those years, endlessly loving
919 him, without anything in return. Had she finally just given up? He
920 wanted to make it up to her somehow, to make things better for her.
921 She'd sacrificed so much to him. 'Meiling, you were never a bother,'
922 he thought. He had told her that long ago when she'd been forced to
923 go home during his time capturing the Clow Cards. And it was true.
924 Meiling had never been a bother. She'd always been his safety net,
925 helping to keep him going. And what had he given her in return? A
926 broken heart. And here Meiling was, again trying to save him from the
927 boredom of this stupid event. She was always there for him.
928
929 The two continued twirling under the stars that were the lights
930 above them. Meiling's body was warm and comfortable against Syaoran's
931 strong, thin body. Her soft breathing kept a steady rhythm on his
932 shoulder, her hair swishing now and then against his hands. He
933 swallowed nervously, still moving in tandem with her. A soft sigh
934 escaped his cousin, muffled by his shoulder.
935
936 "I've never been good at being patient. 'I'll be your fiancee until
937 you find the one you love most.' I remember making you promise that
938 when we were little." Meiling laughed softly, her voice strained.
939 Syaoran couldn't tell if there was a sob in her voice or not. "I wish
940 you hadn't found her."
941 "Meiling..." Syaoran didn't know what to say. He never wanted to
942 break her heart. The only girl who had always cared for him. Even
943 moreso than disappointing his mother, he hated hurting Meiling. But
944 what could he say to that? It wasn't like he could just take it back.
945 His mind raced in frustrating circles, mocking him.
946
947 Cupping Meiling's chin, his heart pounding, he pulled her lips
948 against his own. Meiling's lips felt altogether different from
949 Sakura's, but no less as wonderful. They were frozen against his own
950 for a moment before they seemed to melt, springing to life against
951 his own. His heart beat faster as Meiling's fingers dug into him, his
952 cousin slowly kissing back. Her lips felt so wonderful against his
953 own. They were so soft and warm and full of like. Meiling shifted,
954 her lips pushing further against his own. If he could just hold her
955 like this... Maybe he could make things better. He could finally heal
956 Meiling's broken heart. It took all of Meiling's strength to finally
957 pull away from the kiss. It was a kiss she had waited over a decade
958 for and part at her screamed that she must be mad to give up on it.
959 But she clamped down on the feelings, balling her fists and pulling
960 away from Syaoran. Her eyes narrowed to keep from betraying the
961 cacophony of the emotions inside of her. "I have to go." Her voice
962 was weaker than she would have liked, but she didn't have time to be
963 picky. As she turned to leave, his hand reached out for her. Her hand
964 launched out and caught his wrist. Her eyes shot him a glance. "You
965 have a girlfriend and I'm getting married. Great time to decide to
966 seduce me. You finally take a shot when I'm unavailable. Not very
967 sporting. I love you, Syaoran. But I will never be second best to
968 you. I'd be yours if I were your first choice. I'm not going to play
969 for you because Sakura's too far away at the moment." Turning on her
970 heal, the raven haired girl hurried out into the gathering storm, her
971 emotions mirrored in the heavens. She was disappointed and hurt and
972 apologetic all at the same time. She was angry with him and angry at
973 herself. Syaoran could only watch for a long moment, seeing Meiling
974 run out the door, tears glistening in her eyes. "Meiling!!" But it
975 was too late. She was already gone. He had thought it was what she
976 wanted. It felt so nice to finally be able to kiss her. What had gone
977 wrong? Had he been wrong? Did her heart really belong to another now?
978 "Good job, Syaoran," a voice said behind him. Fanren held her arms
979 behind her back, a bemused look on her face. "Leave me the hell
980 alone," Syaoran growled quietly, his eyes shooting daggers. "She left
981 herself open for you all these years. She kept pining after you even
982 after you started dating Sakura. But Meiling is a very proud girl.
983 She wants to be the one you love the most. She can't stand to be
984 second best. And now you're picking her because you're lonely and
985 she's getting married. You insulted her. Now she feels like she isn't
986 good enough," Fanren explained."I didn't... I never meant..." Syaoran
987 trailed off. What had he meant by it? He still loved Sakura, didn't
988 he? But what about Meiling? He hadn't meant that she was second best,
989 only that... His emotions felt so indecipherable sometimes. He closed
990 his eyes, clenching his jaw. Damn it.... He wanted to go after
991 Meiling, but he didn't know what to say. This was another time that
992 he couldn't save her.
993
994