moonlitnights: old/stories/CCScharity

comparison old/stories/CCScharity_3.txt @ 2:fc00894c1d4a moonlitnights

[svn r3] moved all the bad stuff to 'old'

author	rlm
date	Fri, 19 Feb 2010 20:53:12 -0500
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-:dbe144217c71
+:fc00894c1d4a
+Learning To Fly: Chapter 3
+by:
+The Amazoness Duo
+amazonessduo@hotmail.com
+G.P.
+pearsong1954@yahoo.com
+=====
+A soft, gentle knock resounded throughout Sakura's moderately
+spacious room. Already blushing a shade of crimson, the Cardmistress
+sunk lower on her bed. Her clothes laid in a hesitant pile near her
+knees on her bed. Heart pounding, she covered it with a satiny glone,
+one of the few articles of cloth that adorn her. She was clad in a
+pink, lacey bra that teases at what it holds undernearth and matching
+panties. The gloves trailed ribbons at her wrists. The stockings
+ended at her thighs, again with a generous use of lace. Kicking
+against the bed, the half clothed Cardmistress let out a whine.
+"Hoe... Tomoyo-chan, I'm not coming out in this," she said, her voice
+infused with embarrassment.
+"But I need to see if it fits properly. It needs to be perfect
+before Li-kun sees Sakura-chan prancing about in it," came Tomoyo's
+reply, her voice as sweet as always. Pulling her silk hair back, the
+heiress placed her head against the door, listening for the tell-tale
+signs of her roommate's fidgeting.
+"That isn't why you want to see it," Sakura whined, her hands
+slipping to the edge of the bed. Looking down, she swished her toes
+around in the stockings, feeling the cloth move over them. She wasn't
+used to anything this dressy. Normal undergarments usually did the
+trick for her. Okay, she was used to things this dressy. Tomoyo's
+costumes. But those she could wear without most of her body showing.
+Well, most of them.
+"All right, that isn't why. -I- want to see Sakura-chan prancing
+around in it," Tomoyo admitted after a moment's pause. Her head still
+pressed against the door, the sounds came to her of Sakura shifting,
+her embarrassment audible.Blushing intensely, Sakura hugged her legs
+to her chest, her chin resting on the soft fabric that covered her
+legs. How was she supposed to reply to that? Even after having known
+of Tomoyo's feelings for the past few years, she still wasn't
+entirely sure how to react. So her body tended to react with a huge
+amount of blushes and embarrassed stammers. Her heart was pounding
+faster now and her voice had left her. "Tomoyo-chan..." was all she
+could get out, coming out as little more than a whimper. Trying to go
+to someone for help, she had gone to her older brother. Tomoyo would
+have been her first choice, but seeing as how the other girl was
+involved, it seemed in bad taste to ask Tomoyo what she should do
+about it. Since Touya had been through the same thing, she had
+thought he would have excellent voice. His advice: "You take him out
+to ice cream, then get him back home and leave your clothes at the
+door." Yukito had simply smiled the whole time. Blushing fiercely, as
+she was blushing now, Sakura had quickly excused herself.
+"I bet it looks gorgeous on you, Sakura-chan. I made it for you so
+you could show off your beautiful body the next time you see Li-kun.
+It would be a shame if you had it and no one ever got to see how
+gorgeous you were in it," Tomoyo prodded, still listening for any
+reaction on her friend's part. Testing gently, she realized the door
+wasn't locked. Sakura very seldom locked any doors. Which had caused
+the Cardmistress no end of trouble back when she had lived with her
+father and brother. There had been plenty of close calls with Sakura
+talking to her supposedly stuffed doll, Kero. But now, Tomoyo found
+that it worked to her advantage. "Sakura-chan," Tomoyo began again,
+"There's nothing to be embarrassed about. I've been helping you dress
+in your outfits since we were ten years old. I've seen more of you
+than Li-kun has. And I've probably named every little part by
+now.""You've what?" Sakura blinked, looking up, confused. Confusion
+gave way to even more embarrassment. All those times she had changed
+in front of Tomoyo, not realizing the other girl actually enjoyed
+what she saw came back to her. Tomoyo had helped her dress into many
+of her more elaborate costumes. And Tomoyo had named her body parts?
+Her cheeks flushed as a morbid curiosity burned inside of her. What
+had she named? What names had she picked? Sakura had to shake her
+head and force the thought away, too shy to ask her questions. "But..
+No! That was different. You helped me into your costumes and with the
+dresses you made for me. Not something... sexy..." The last word came
+out lower than the rest, as if she had to force it out. Seeing
+herself in the mirror, Sakura shrunk down even more.
+"Sakura-chan has worn lots of sexy clothes. You must not remember
+half of the costumes you've worn for the past five years. I'll have
+to get out the videotapes and show you again. The lingerie probably
+has more cloth in total than the hummingbird outfit had," Tomoyo said
+thoughtfully, a finger going to her chin.
+"You told me that was a swimsuit!" Sakura responded, letting her
+legs fall back to the bed and her fists resting near her sides.
+Perfect. Tomoyo smiled, hearing Sakura's position change. "No, I
+said it was waterproof, not that it was a swimsuit," she corrected.
+The door slid open in one swift movement. For several seconds, Tomoyo
+got a wonderful glimpse of her startled Sakura. For the first second
+and a half, the brunette didn't even have the chance to be
+embarrassed. Sakura truly looked beautiful in the lingerie, looking
+both cute and sexy all at once, something Tomoyo had always loved
+about her energetic friend. Those moments were burned forever into
+memory thanks to the wonderful technology of camcorders. Thanks to
+years and years of videotaping her flighty friend, the dark haired
+girl had become an expert and bringing the camcorder to bear in the
+most crucial of seconds. And then, like a groundhog popping back into
+his hole, Sakura was gone. The girl had rolled off the bed, hiding
+behind the side opposite Tomoyo.
+"Tomoyo-chan!!" Sakura whined again, her heart pounding and her face
+burning as she lay hunched over behind her bed. She hadn't expected
+the other girl to come in. Now what was she supposed to do? Her hand
+darted up to the bed, searching for her clothes. Her questing fingers
+encountered nothing but the top of her bed.
+"Sakura-chan needs to fold her clothes more often or they'll get
+wrinkled," Tomoyo chided playfully, having pulled Sakura's clothes
+away from her reach. Sitting down on the edge of the bed, she could
+only make out her friend's hunched back. Good enough. Bringing the
+camcorder up, she began to record.
+"Why are you recording this?" Sakura asked, trying to curl up into
+herself. It wasn't working. The camcorder and Tomoyo's eyes stayed
+fixed on her. Her position didn't offer her much comfort or security.
+"For posterity," Tomoyo chimed in, smiling brightly. "Maybe I should
+make a copy for Li-kun. He must get lonely being so far away from
+you."
+"No! No copies for Syaoran," Sakura said quickly, looking up. It
+took her a moment to see the camcorder dip, looking down her front.
+Squeaking, the Cardmistress hugged herself tightly.
+"But it seems unfair for me to get to see this while your boyfriend
+doesn't get to," Tomoyo reasoned, panning over Sakura's strong
+shoulders and down her pack to where the panties hugged her before
+continuing down her beautiful, runner's legs. Sighing dreamily, the
+heiress held a hand to her face. "You're very sexy, Sakura-
+chan.""Th..Thanks, Tomoyo-chan." Blushing deeply, the Cardmistress
+gazed back down at the floor. She couldn't say she minded Tomoyo's
+compliments. They always made her feel wonderful. Tomoyo made her
+feel like she could really do anything. Like she was something
+special. So even the embarrassing things weren't all that bad. Just,
+well, embarrassing.
+"Please, Sakura-chan? Just for me and my camcorder. You can decide
+later on if Li-kun sees. But I don't want to see my one chance at
+seeing my super sexy Sakura-chan in the lingerie I made her. I love
+seeing you in the clothes I make. Knowing you're wearing them, that
+they're mixing together with you to make a beautiful picture. Without
+you, they're just clothes. I've see what these look like under my
+fingers. Now I want to see what they look like with you living and
+breathing in them," Tomoyo pleaded, pulling down her camcorder for a
+moment to look down at her best friend.
+Emerald eyes gazed up for just a moment, but they were immediately
+caught by the beautiful, pleading stormy blue ones of her friend.
+Giving an imperceptible nod, Sakura sighed. "You know you always win
+these things, right? Why do we even bother debating it anymore? I
+should just give up and do what you want in the first place. Then we
+can save ourselves the trouble." Blushing, hands slowly let go of her
+body. Moving slowly, the Cardmistress stood up, shifting shyly from
+foot to foot as Tomoyo's eyes roamed over her. A twinge of excitement
+ran through her. Someone was actually seeing her like this, someone
+who thought she was sexy. Sakura liked the thought, that she could be
+sexy, that Tomoyo would want to see her like this. She blushed deeper
+at the realization. Was it just that her boyfriend had been gone so
+long? That she wanted someone to appreciate her like that? But she'd
+always liked when Tomoyo fawned over her, even when she didn't know
+that Tomoyo was in love with her. Confused and embarrassed, Sakura
+stood for Tomoyo's approval.A sudden intake of breath. An excited
+gasp. "Sakura-chan, you're so sexy!" Tomoyo crooned, standing up to
+travel around Sakura with her camcorder, wanting every available
+angle of her semi-nude friend. A light giggle escaped her when she
+was behind Sakura. "No, you should keep debating. If you did whatever
+I wanted in the first place, then you wouldn't be wearing anything at
+all."
+For Sakura, who had just started to regain her composure, the
+comment was like a bag had dropped on her stomach. She was blushing
+darkly again and at a loss for words instantly. "T..Tomoyo-chan!" The
+tone of her voice was supposed to be chiding, but it sounded more
+like a shy refutal. A soft hand on her back, just above the bra, made
+Sakura start. Tomoyo's hand, silky and warm against her skin. Letting
+her eyes fall closed, the Cardmistress felt each delicate finger
+caress in a pattern on her bare skin, her breath nearly catching
+before she remembered to keep breathing.
+"Sakura-chan, you aren't such a shy girl most of the time. I bet
+when you get used to being with Li-kun, you'll be a tiger in the
+bedroom. You shouldn't act all shy for the camera. Then I won't get
+to see what you'd really be like in the lingerie. Don't focus on the
+clothes. Focus on Sakura-chan. Be Sakura-chan in the clothes."
+Tomoyo's voice had it's cheering quality that came to her whenever
+she was rooting for Sakura, no matter what the situation may be.
+Sakura found it highly effective, even now. Her blush subsiding
+somewhat, she stepped away, moving again. This time, she moved more
+quickly, more sure of herself, keeping her embarrassment in the back
+of her mind. Putting on her brightest smile, she spun to face the
+camera, moving as if she wasn't the least bit shy about what she was
+in. Her eyes caught Tomoyo returning her smile. That made Sakura even
+happier. Ribbons and lace swished as she moved about the room, posing
+with all her athletic body was worth.
+For her part, Tomoyo hurried to keep track of Sakura, wanting to get
+every shot she could of her beautiful friend. The way she moved...
+The way she smiled... The sparkle in her eyes... The way the cloth
+rustled against her skin... If there was any place closer to Heaven,
+Tomoyo had not visited there yet. Sighing dreamily, she tried her
+hardest to keep up with her athletic friend, barely noticing as her
+pale cheeks flushed and her breath quickened. She stepped lithely up
+onto the bed and back onto the other side like a sprite, never taking
+the camcorder away from Sakura's gorgeous, sensuous form. How Sakura
+could not notice how incredibly beautiful she had become was beyond
+the heiress. The task of making sure Sakura was told, and quite
+often, had fallen into her able hands.
+"Tsubasa," Tomoyo said at last, as Sakura had twirled in front of
+the bed.
+"Hmmm?" The Cardmistress looked over as if broken from a trance.
+Quizzical, she tilted her head as she stood near the foot of the bed.
+"I named your butt Tsubasa. You were wondering what I named the
+pieces of you. That's what I named it. Because it's cute and soft
+like the feathers on a wing and because it looks like it's been
+lifted up by beautiful wings." Tomoyo smiled brightly as she
+explained. Chewing on her lip thoughtfully, she added. "And I saw a
+lot of it when you used to fly on your staff. So I guess the wing
+motif just followed easily from there, since it was framed by the two
+wings on your staff."
+Another blush spread quickly. But this blush was a little different.
+It was tempered with a playful frustration. Growling, Sakura grabbed
+her pillow. "Tomoyo-chan! Stop embarrassing me!" Before Tomoyo could
+react, the athletic girl pounced, hitting her friend again and again
+with the soft pillow. That heart melting giggle of Tomoyo's
+accompanied Sakura's feather soft blows as Sakura bopped her on the
+head again and again, watching Tomoyo's long hair fly wild about them
+in their one-sided battle.
+And as soon as it had begun, it was over. The two lay on the bed,
+panting heavily. Tomoyo's pale cheeks were flushed darkly, her
+fragile body exerted from all of the hopping and running and playing
+they had done. Sakura lay on her side, facing the other girl, her
+heart pounding from the exertion. Or maybe it was pounding from the
+way Tomoyo's stormy blue eyes gazed so lovingly into her own. Or the
+way Tomoyo's tender fingers trailed delicately up and down her side.
+Or the way Tomoyo's bare foot felt against her own through the cloth
+of her stockings. Or the way Tomoyo's now messy lavender hair framed
+her so beautifully on the bed.
+Fingers slid up to Sakura's bra, tracing over the fabric for just a
+moment before beginning their downward spiral back to the brunette's
+hips. Tomoyo gazed into Sakura's eyes, so glad to have them looking
+back at her. Those emerald orbs had always fascinated her. Some
+nights when she couldn't sleep, she would take a look into those eyes
+in one of her pictures or videotapes and fall asleep imagining she
+were safe in Sakura's arms. Now, lying so close to her, almost like
+lovers, Tomoyo felt that delicious feeling that accompanies our
+longing for the person we love without the bad aftertaste of knowing
+they are out of our reach. Maybe they weren't locked in a lover's
+embrace, but Sakura was so close, so soft, so lovely. And that was
+enough for Tomoyo.A small pink tongue darted over dry lips, trying
+desperately to wet them. Whether it was in case Tomoyo should happen
+to kiss her or just because they were dry, Sakura couldn't really
+tell. Her heart was thundering now, her eyes enthralled to Tomoyo.
+She couldn't pull her gaze away if she tried. A delightful shiver
+passed through her body as her friend's fingers traced over her hip
+and back up again. This was a position she had thought she'd end up
+with Syaoran in, facing in each other, blushing and waiting for him
+to kiss her. Would Tomoyo kiss her? Did Tomoyo want to kiss her? What
+would she do if Tomoyo did kiss her? Her breath slipped out and she
+prayed that Tomoyo didn't notice how anxious she was. About what? Was
+she scared that Tomoyo would kiss her? Or rather, was she scared that
+Tomoyo wouldn't kiss her? And all the while, those incredibly deep
+stormy blue eyes, the color of the beautiful yet sad stormclouds that
+greet us on spring days, gazed longingly back at her. She didn't want
+to move, didn't want to breathe. Her foot pushed experimentally
+against Tomoyo's and was delighted to find Tomoyo's petite foot push
+back, Tomoyo's small toes playing with her own.
+Sakura knew Tomoyo could see her, could see almost all of her in the
+lingerie she wore. And yet, she couldn't get herself to do anything
+about it. Why would she want to? Tomoyo liked her in it. The heiress
+had said as much. And now... Now she didn't want to move. But she
+wanted to do -something-. Anything. But no actions came to mind. No
+words came to her rescue. It was only her and Tomoyo and those
+deliciously confusing feelings that slid over her like cool water on
+a hot day.
+Tomoyo, meanwhile, was getting more adventurous. Sakura hadn't so
+much as eeked in embarrassment since they had found themselves facing
+each other on the bed. Her hand was going alternatingly higher and
+lower. Up past Sakura's bra. Down past Sakura's pantied. Feeling the
+brunette's athletic body under her fingertips. The cute, confused
+look in Sakura's eyes made her want to be with the Cardmistress even
+more. She wanted to help Sakura make up her mind, to end up doing
+something she'd wanted to do for years. And right now, would Sakura
+stop her? Would Sakura even want her to stop? Her mind played over
+the thoughts carefully, trying to unravel them. In the meantime, her
+foot continued to play more and more with Sakura's, neither girl
+gaining ground, but neither wanting to, content to continue their
+game. On this turn up Sakura's side, Tomoyo stopped at Sakura's bra,
+just under her arm. Fingers caressed the skin underneath the cloth
+for a long moment. Almost imperceptibly, the fingers moved across the
+cloth. Forward. Slowly, slowly. The fingertips moved as if in slow
+motion to the front of Sakura's bra, tracing Sakura's slightly larger
+breasts as they went. They continued to play their designs over
+Sakura's skin, Tomoyo's eyes ever ready for any flicker of Sakura's
+face. The brunette simply blushed more but did nothing to stop her.
+Moving apart and together again, her fingertips played across the
+thin fabric over Sakura's skin. To Tomoyo's delight, she could feel
+Sakura reacting, her fingers rubbing over the slowly hardening nub of
+Sakura's nipple under the bra. She continued to play with it, pushing
+and circling and rubbing through the cloth, watching as Sakura gazed
+back, their feet still locked in their battle. Just as slowly as she
+had done with her fingers, Tomoyo's head inched closer. Perhaps...
+just a kiss? A delicious, Sakura tasting kiss? It couldn't do any
+harm, could it? Not if part of Sakura wanted her to, right? And dear
+god did she hope that's what she saw in Sakura's eyes. Her nose slid
+past Sakura's now, their eyes still locked. Warm breath played
+against her lips. Just another moment. Tomoyo was incredibly patient.
+She could wait a lifetime if she had to. She could almost feel
+Sakura's lips against her own. Just a little
+closer....Trrrrrrrrrrrrriiiiillll.....
+Sakura blinked dumbly. Trrrrrrrrrrrrrrrriiiiiiiiilllllll..........
+Bolting up, a new wave of embarrassment coursing through her, Sakura
+searched quickly for her cell phone. Where had she put it? Sliding
+off the bed, stocking clad feet padded across the floor. Heart
+pounding in her chest, Sakura couldn't think of what to say, only to
+keep looking for the damn phone. And to tell them she'd call them
+back. She had more important things to think about right
+now."Goodnight, Sakura-chan," Tomoyo whispered as Sakura grabbed the
+cell phone so as not to disturb whoever was on the line. Her lips
+brushed against Sakura's cheek, kissing softly. Sakura's cheek warmed
+under her lips. Smoothing out her skirt, the dark haired girl
+disappeared from the room like an elegant Cinderella from her ball.
+And no less anxious and confused as Cinderella's prince sat Sakura.
+She reached out, wanting to call Tomoyo back, but the phone was
+already answering. Her voice echoed shakily on the line, her mind
+elsewhere. What had been about to happen? And why did she feel so
+disappointed that it didn't?
+~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
+The soft vibration of a sweet hum reached the door to the appartment
+Sakura shared with Tomoyo before the brunette reached it herself. Her
+exaltant hum was the product of her classes finally coming to an end
+for another week as well as the generally positive upswing her life
+had taken in general. Living with her best friend was more fun than
+she had imagined. They shared a wonderfully cute and eccentric
+(thanks in no small part to Tomoyo) appartment. And now Sakura even
+had a job that she could pour herself into. To celebrate her good
+fortune, she had deigned it a worthy cause to stop by the grocery
+store on the way home and get supplies for a feast. When Tomoyo got
+home that night, there would be a wonderful meal waiting for her.
+'Hanyaa...' Sakura thought happily, her smile broadening as she
+slipped her keys into the door. Everything felt so amazing. It almost
+felt like she was dreaming. And wouldn't Tomoyo be excited to come
+home to a meal she cooked for her! A small giggle escaped the
+brunette as she pushed the door open.
+"Can I start on the strawberries?" Kero's voice carried from the
+grocery bag. A small rustling noise preceded his appearance, his
+small head popping up out of the bag. "They look soooooo good..." His
+tiny eyes looked up to Sakura, pleading. They searched for mercy.
+They found none.
+"Kero-chan!! Out! Those things are all for the meal tonight! The
+strawberries are for desert. I'll make some for you, too, I promise.
+But you better not be eating any of my ingredients!" Sakura harumphed
+when Kero pouted. Plans for her dinner with Tomoyo wouldn't be ruined
+because Kero had an endless stomach. Her moods immediately lightened
+at the thought, she nearly twirled into the appartment.
+"Tomoyo-chan?"
+The twirling ceased immidiately. Blink blink. Someone was inside?
+Someone who sounded awfully familiar. "Sakura-chan! It's you. I
+thought Tomoyo said something about you coming home earlier than she
+did on these days." Sonomi smiled brilliantly, still in her dashing
+business suit and skirt. Her prowess as a businesswoman hid her years
+as an athlete. The hug she gave Sakura certainly didn't hide that
+aspect, nearly pulling Sakura off her feet. "You're always so cute,
+Sakura-chan. Tomoyo's rants about you almost don't do you justice.
+Almost." Grinning with what could only be the Daidouji family smile,
+something that both generations of Daidouji women did an incredible
+amount of around Sakura, she placed her hands on the younger woman's
+shoulders. "Is Tomoyo-chan with you? I thought I heard you talking
+when you came in."Sakura was still in a state of confusion. Slowly,
+bit by bit, it was being processed into usable information in her
+brain. Sonomi had a key to the appartment. Tomoyo had told her when
+they'd come home the second night and found roses left for them by
+Sonomi. Now onto the more immediate, pressing matters. Sweatdropping
+and stammering profusely, Sakura said the first thing that came to
+mind. "C...Cell phone... I was on the cell phone when I came in..."
+Laughing nervously, she hoped that would be enough for Tomoyo's
+mother."You brought groceries home," Sonomi observed. "How cute!" She
+clasped her hands together.
+"Well, yeah..." Sakura blushed and walked to the kitchen. "I was
+going to make dinner for me and Tomoyo-chan." A muffled 'And me' came
+from the grocery bag, but Sakura coughed and nudged the bag as she
+set it down on the counter.
+"That's wonderful! Tomoyo-chan will be so happy when she gets home.
+I'll help you with it. I'll go when Tomoyo-chan gets home so I won't
+get in the way of your dinner," Sonomi decided, starting to unpack
+one of the bags."You will?" Sakura asked excitedly. Though her own
+cooking skills were good, she had more faith in those of Sonomi.
+Working with Tomoyo's mother, she knew they could make something
+delicious. "Thanks, Sonomi-san!" she said happily. Her eyes shot open
+when she saw Sonomi's hand snake into the bag, searching for that
+last object in the bag. Kero-chan!
+Sonomi's lithe hand withdrew from the bag holding onto Kero's small,
+plush body. The businesswoman inspected the figure for a long moment.
+A sad, nostalgic smile played across her lips. "You really are a lot
+like your mother sometimes, Sakura-chan." A finger gently traced over
+Kero's face. "She used to drag some of her dolls around with her
+everywhere. I used to tell her she'd be dragging them around even
+when she was an adult. She laughed and asked why she'd do anything
+but." The older brunette shook her head, still smiling as she set
+down the Seal Beast.
+"Then Tomoyo-chan must have gotten a lot from you, too, Sonomi-san.
+She's beautiful, talented, and elegant. Just like you," Sakura
+offered, returning the older woman's smile as she got out the
+utensils for the night's meal. There was another thing that Sonomi
+shared with her daughter. When Sakura heard Sonomi speak of her
+mother, Nadeshiko, it came with that same loving tone that Tomoyo's
+held when the dark haired girl spoke of Sakura. There was something
+almost sad in it, something that always made the Cardmistress miss
+her mother even more.
+A laugh escaped Sonomi as she searched for the aprons. "Sometimes I
+think Tomoyo-chan got more from your mother than she got from me.
+She's very, very loving. And so... ethereal. It's almost like she's
+an angel. Just like your mother." Her quest came up triumphant as she
+pulled out two aprons, handing one to her daughter's friend.Sakura
+nodded in wholehearted agreement as she tied the apron on tight.
+"Tomoyo-chan is very much like an angel. Sometimes I'm surprised that
+she's not the one with wings." A nervous laugh quickly followed.
+Sonomi wouldn't get the part about the fact that she could have wings
+herself when she wanted. Though Tomoyo seemed far more deserving of
+them in Sakura's mind. The dark haired girl really did seem like an
+angel, Sakura's guardian angel. Sighing dreamily, Sakura got to work
+on preparing the food.
+Brushing her brunette hair out of her eyes with her free hand,
+Sonomi watched Sakura chopping the vegetables. A smile tugged at the
+corners of her mouth. It was easy to see what her daughter loved
+about the younger woman. Being around Sakura always brought back
+memories of the girl's mother.  And Tomoyo lit up like the moon
+lights up from the sun's rays when she was around Sakura. The
+businesswoman was happy to have Sakura as part of her life, as very
+nearly a part of her family. When she saw Sakura's emerald eyes
+shimmering at her, it was hard for her to tell that she wasn't
+looking into Nadeshiko's eyes. "If you're very lucky in this life,
+you'll fall in love, truly in love, once. You'll find your one, true
+love. I'm not talking about all the crushes, all the people who take
+a place in your heart. Just the one who you can't help loving, who
+warms your heart, who makes you better just by being around." Sonomi
+smiled softly, her stormy blue eyes distant. "I found mine, a long
+time ago. She was... the most beautiful, wonderful thing in my life.
+I was always so happy when I was with her. When I lost her... I
+didn't think I could go on. If I hadn't had Tomoyo, I might not have
+been able to." She shook her head, her stormy blue eyes a little
+darker now, the color of clouds about to storm. Smiling at Sakura,
+she tilts her head to the side ever so slightly. "I think Tomoyo
+found hers, too. I hope that you find yours.""I... did..." Sakura's
+voice trailed off. She had found her one, true love, right? Syaoran
+had been her boyfriend for years now. They'd been together through a
+lot. They loved each other. But did she really love him more than
+she'd loved Yukito? Or even the feelings she had gotten from Mizuki-
+sensei? When she thought about him, warm thoughts surfaced. But did
+she feel that she was better around him? Did he ensnare her the way
+Sonomi's heart had so obviously been caught so long ago? She loved
+him, of course, she reminded herself. They'd been together all these
+years. But those feelings... They did sound familiar. Someone who
+mader her better... Someone who always made her feel all hanyaan...
+Sakura's hand slipped, cutting a jagged slice out of the vegetable
+she was working on as the image turned in her mind. Tomoyo. Her heart
+beat a confused, staccatto rhythm in her chest. That was different.
+Tomoyo was her best friend. Of course the dark haired girl made her
+happy and embarrassed and warm and strong. It was... Yeah.... Sakura
+nodded slightly to herself, trying to keep her thoughts straight.
+"That's great, Sakura-chan," Sonomi replied, forcing a smile. Truth
+be told, she couldn't stand the boy who had taken away Sakura from
+her daughter. Granted, Tomoyo tried to convince her that he was the
+one that made Sakura happy. But Sonomi knew beyond the shadow of a
+doubt that her daughter could make Sakura just as happy, if not much,
+much more so. But, alas, that didn't seem to be in the cards. Again.
+Just like with Nadeshiko. She sighed inwardly. Well, she wouldn't let
+it happen that way again. She wasn't about to see her little girl end
+up all alone like she did. Fishing around in her purse, she pulled
+out a large photo of a beautiful woman. Holding it out in her strong
+yet gentle hands, Sonomi smiled. "That's Sugaru Kurumiya. She does
+some modelling, like your mother used to. Her mother and I are
+friends. I kept saying we should get her together with Tomoyo. Sugaru
+is great in front of the camera and Tomoyo is a wizard behind the
+camera. I finally convinced Tomoyo-chan to go out on a date with her.
+Isn't that great?" Sonomi sighed, putting the picture away. "My baby
+is going on her first date. How cute... It's too bad she won't be
+able to record it. I'd love to see the video."The knife slid off the
+carrot Sakura was cutting. "Wh...what?" Her eyes blinked in
+disbelief. It should have been an obvious eventuality, but like all
+things we don't want to think of, Sakura had stored it away as
+something that would happen 'later', in that indeterminate future we
+hope will never come. And now it had. "Tomoyo-chan's going on a date?
+But..." Her mind raced to find a good reason to call off the date,
+but she found none. Her heart sank at the thought of Tomoyo
+videotaping some other girl, a model at that. Didn't Tomoyo say she
+was the most amazing thing to videotape? And going out on a date...
+'I love you, Sakura-chan.'. Sakura had heard that phrase over and
+over for the past six years. And every time, she knew Tomoyo meant
+it. Would this other girl take her place? Would she be the one to
+make Tomoyo smile? Would Tomoyo make the other woman costumes and
+make her blush and tell her how wonderful she was? Would she make her
+feel like she could do anything? Would Tomoyo make her feel warm and
+loved? The way she made Sakura feel?
+Sakura wanted to drop to her knees. They suddenly felt weak and
+watery. It seemed appropriate to say something nice about Tomoyo's
+plan in perspective mates for her best friend, but she couldn't get
+herself to compliment it. Instead, words came to her mouth that
+ignored that line of thought altogether. "But Tomoyo-chan loves me. I
+make her happy.""True," Sonomi conceded. "But you love Syaoran. And
+Tomoyo's my baby. I want what's best for her. I want her to be happy
+and loved and to be able to curl up in someone's arms when the day is
+through. So I told her as much until she agreed to go on this date. I
+think it will be good for her. The whole time you've been dating,
+Tomoyo-chan has been all alone. Maybe you can give her some dating
+tips."Sakura could only nod weakly. "Yeah... dating tips..." She
+suddenly didn't feel like making dinner. With a heavy heart, she went
+back to preparing for her now less than anticipated celebration
+dinner.
+~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
+"And that concludes today's lecture. Please remember to do the
+reading for next class." Professor Fujitaka Kinomoto smiled
+pleasantly at his students as they passed, busying himself with
+putting his papers neatly back in his briefcase. Out of the corner of
+his eye, he could see the pale figure and dark hair of a woman that
+always reminded him of his wife. Sonomi couldn't have done a better
+job with a tribute to Nadeshiko. He shook off the thought and smiled
+over at his daughter's best friend.
+"Hello, Kinomoto-sensei. You said you wanted to see me after class?"
+The darkhaired girl tilted her head to the side curiously.  Her hair
+swayed with the small motion, the dark silk a stark contrast with her
+pale skin. Leaning down, Fujitaka produced a large box, setting it on
+the table. "I made a chocolate cake yesterday night and I realized I
+couldn't eat it all by myself. I was hoping you and Sakura would have
+it." It was an excuse, of course. He used to cook for his children
+when he would have the chance, but now that his youngest child had
+moved away, he had found himself missing them. Deciding to make the
+cake for Sakura was a way of remembering times gone by.
+Tomoyo bowed politely before gingerly picking up the box. "I know
+Sakura-chan will love it. She always loved your food. I'm sure it's
+delicious," the lavender haired girl insisted.
+Smiling wistfully, the professor shook his head. "I never would have
+thought you'd be interested in archeology, Tomoyo-chan."Tomoyo
+giggled softly. "I have very broad interests, Kinomoto-sensei. I
+think it's a very interesting course."
+The rest of Fujitaka's papers slowly found their way into his
+briefcase. Standing, he motioned for Tomoyo to follow him. "Your
+mother must not have been pleased with you taking my course. She
+still hasn't forgiven me about... things." He knew that Tomoyo had
+probably grown up hearing her mother's anger with him, that he had
+stolen what was most precious to her. Caution dictated that he be
+careful with this subject. "On the contrary. When I told her, she
+frowned for a moment and then said that if I had to take archeology,
+it might as well be from you. She said you had been a very good
+teacher when she was younger and that you'd be good to learn it
+from," Tomoyo explained, her heels clicking as they walked down the
+hallway of the university. A small, grateful smile crossed Fujitaka's
+lips. It was nice to know that even if Sonomi hated him for 'taking
+away' Nadeshiko, she still had some nice things to say about him.
+Sonomi had always been a strong willed woman with the proud soul of a
+warrior. Despite her hatred of him, her rival, she still respected
+him. It was nice to hear that from her daughter, because he doubted
+he'd ever hear it from Sonomi herself. And he knew Sonomi would never
+accept his praise for her, no matter how heartfelt it may be.
+He still remembered how devestated Nadeshiko had been when Sonomi
+hadn't come to the wedding. Nadeshiko kept running out to see if her
+best friend had arrived, thinking that she was only late. But Sonomi
+never came. And until Nadeshiko got sick the final time, that was the
+last time the two had seen each other. Nadeshiko had smiled brightly
+and gone on with the wedding, but he had seen how hurt she was not to
+have her cousin share in it with her. Nadeshiko had been such a
+charming, lovely, happy woman for the time she had spent with her
+family. But the one shadow that had stayed with her was losing
+Sonomi. It didn't go away until the end, when Sonomi came to visit
+her in the hospital. She had told him late at night in her hospital
+bed that she was happy now. 'I have you, Touya-chan, and Sakura-chan.
+And now I have Sonomi-chan again. I'm happy now. I'm happy with how
+things turned out. Please don't cry for me, Fujitaka." And she had
+smiled, a smile devoid of that haunted shadow. So he had never cried
+for her, just as she had asked.
+The girl that could be a young copy of his wife was watching him as
+they walked in silence for a moment. Offering another smile, he
+pushed his glasses up. "I'm very glad Sonomi-san would think so." His
+eyes looked just a trifle concerned as he looked over at his student.
+"How is Sakura?" It was impossible to keep concern completely out of
+his voice. Sakura was his little girl, after all. "Sakura-chan is
+wonderful as always," Tomoyo replied, a soft sigh escaping her lips.
+It never took much work to get her mind on Sakura, if indeed her mind
+ever left that line of thought in the first place. Being so near the
+brunette as of late had been like a dream, her heart overflowing with
+happiness at the prospect of so very much Sakura in her life.
+Fujitaka laughed at the dreamy look on Tomoyo's face as well as the
+pale girl's reply. "I meant to ask how she was doing," he corrected
+himself.
+Demurely holding her bag in front of her, Tomoyo giggled as well.
+"Sakura-chan has been doing well lately. She misses you and Touya-
+san, but it's wonderful seeing her on her own. She's so strong
+willed. You should really see her. She's giving it her all. I know
+that she likes working for mother. The two of them get along very
+well. They're similar in a lot of ways. And Sakura-chan is doing well
+in her classes. She was always a good student and we study together
+some nights.""She's not on her own. She has you, Tomoyo-chan,"
+Fujitaka replied. "You've always helped her so much. I really have to
+thank you for all you've done for her.""It's all my pleasure. I love
+being near Sakura-chan. I want her to be happy. I'd do anything for
+her. If I can be near her, if I can help her from time to time,
+that's enough for me." The pale heiress tucked some hair behind her
+ear, looking forward.
+"I think you make her very happy," Fujitaka offered. "She's always
+so happy when she's with you." Stopping in front of his office, he
+turns to the small woman. "I want you to know I'd have been happy to
+have you as a daughter-in-law." It was small consolation, he knew,
+but it was true. Tomoyo was so much like Nadeshiko, an angel in
+anyone's life. He would have been happy to see Sonomi's daughter with
+his own. But because it hadn't worked out that way, he could only
+offer that.
+"Thank you," Tomoyo said wholeheartedly. "I'm glad you'd think so. I
+know mother would have loved having Sakura-chan as part of the
+family, too," she replied, grinning. Her lithe frame bowed. "Thank
+you for the cake, Sensei. Sakura-chan and I will share it tonight."
+Turning, she swished softly towards the exit.
+"I can't believe Sonomi-chan had her wear her hair like mine," a
+soft voice said behind Fujitaka, almost poutily. "I didn't know she
+missed me so much."Fujitaka smiled softly, turning to the source of
+the voice, the ghostly form of his wife. "You always cute Sakura-
+chan's hair short like Sonomi-san."The woman tilted her hair to the
+side, giving a puzzled look. Her angel wings blazed with an inner
+light. "Yeah, but I knew how much I missed Sonomi-chan. I didn't know
+she missed me as much as I missed her." Her emerald green eyes
+sparkled as she nearly floated about his office. "I need to see her
+again," she whispered. Fujitaka nodded. "I know." He had never owned
+Nadeshiko's heart. He doubted anyone ever could. He was blessed with
+Nadeshiko's love. But so was Sonomi. It was the way of things. Was
+Sakura the same way, he wondered? Would Sakura get hurt just as
+Nadeshiko had because her heart was too open, too loving? Did Sakura
+love her boyfriend as well as her best friend? He hoped that whatever
+happened, Sakura wouldn't have the same haunted look as his wife when
+Sonomi had left her side all those years ago when they had announced
+their wedding.
+~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
+The appartment was quiet when Tomoyo finally got home. Her head
+tilted to the side, listening for the familiar noises of Kero playing
+videogames or Sakura making any of a hanful of noises Tomoyo could
+name instantly. Leaving her shoes by the door, the pale girl treaded
+softly across the floor. "Sakura-chan? Kero-chan?" Her voice carried
+in the appartment. Her stormy blue eyes glanced to their living room,
+seeing the table where Sakura had tossed her backpack and the DVDs of
+Sakura lying on top of the large television. Sakura was home, at any
+rate. And something certainly smelled delicious.
+"Tomoyo-chan!" In a flurry of feathers, Sakura had crashed into
+Tomoyo, hurtling into her like a small, Sakura-sized freight train.
+Her small wings wrapped around the dark haired girl along with her
+arms. The two almost fell over, but Sakura's wings opened up and gave
+a quick flap, sending them back to their feet. Sakura's bare feet
+were nearly on top of Tomoyo's socks. A soft giggle escaped the
+heiress. "I missed you, too, Sakura-chan." Tomoyo's hands rested on
+Sakura's hips as they stood that way for a moment. Leaning forward,
+she nuzzled Sakura's chestnut hair, enjoying the smell that permeated
+her noise. She always loved Sakura's hair. It made her want to be
+there to wash it for the other girl. To run her hands through
+Sakura's hair... She pushed away from the tempting thoughts. "You've
+been out flying?"Pulling away, slightly embarrassed, Sakura nodded.
+"I needed... Well, I wanted to see the view," the Cardmistress nodded
+quickly. Truthfully, she had flown off after Sonomi had left to try
+and clear her mind. It hadn't worked. The idea of Tomoyo finally
+going on a date still left her with a bad taste in her mouth. But how
+could she tell Tomoyo that? 'Don't date. I want you to love me and
+only me. But I'll still be loving Syaoran, so you don't get anything
+that you want.' Sakura felt ashamed of even thinking such a thing.
+How good a friend was she if she would feel jealous of Tomoyo dating?
+But still, she couldn't help it. And she knew she needed to change
+the subject before Tomoyo's almost magical powers of perception found
+her out. "I made you dinner. Well, Sonomi-san helped. She was by
+earlier. So we made dinner for you. It's a celebration. For our new
+job and our new appartment and... and everything!" Smiling, Sakura
+took Tomoyo's hands, leading her to the kitchen where any number of
+treats awaited. It had taken all of her strength to drag Kero out
+after Sonomi had left. Her genuine smile and the excitement that
+coursed threw her at the idea of showing Tomoyo the meal she'd cooked
+for her helped keep Tomoyo from digging deeper into her concerns. "It
+looks delicious, Sakura-chan!" Tomoyo said, amazed. Turning to
+Sakura, the brunette's eyes sparkled happily. "It all looks
+wonderful. It's a perfect dinner. Even more perfect because it was
+made by Sakura-chan." The dark haired girl sighed dreamily, imagining
+Sakura in an apron, laboring over the stove for her sake. How sweet!
+Taking Sakura's hands, she squeezed them, pulling them to her heart.
+"I'm so lucky to have you for a roommate."Blushing, Sakura looked
+down. That simply gave her a good look of Tomoyo's beautiful form,
+clad as it was in a cute white dress. Her eyes shot up only to get
+anchored to Tomoyo's stormy blue eyes gazing affectionately into her
+own. "I'm lucky to have you for a roommate, too, Tomoyo-chan. I just
+wanted to show you how much," she said after a moment's silence. It
+was the wrong thing to say if she was trying to extricate herself
+from an embarrassing situation. Tomoyo let out a delighted sigh and
+practically melted into her arms, hugging Sakura tightly.
+"Thank you, Sakura-chan!" Tomoyo said blissfully. "Ummm... Tomoyo-
+chan, I think we better eat before it gets cold." Sakura hurried over
+to the dishes after Tomoyo finally let her go, her cheeks still
+flushed pink. She had hoped it would go over well, but this went over
+much better than she'd expected. Tomoyo followed her to the counter,
+watching her prepare the plates. Picking up a bite of the food with
+her chopsticks, she turned and offered the bite to Tomoyo. Leaning
+forward, the other girl took the bite, eating it from Sakura's
+chopsticks. 'Hanyaan...' Sakura thought, smiling brightly. She felt
+warm and fuzzy inside, glad to be with her friend. Her worries took a
+small vacation, overcome by her currently shining emotional state.
+The two decided to forgo eating at the table and finished up dinner
+like that, Sakura feeding Tomoyo bite after bite with her chopsticks.
+"You're such a good cook, Sakura-chan!" Tomoyo said between bites.
+They were both leaning against the counter, and her eyes traced over
+the other woman, delighting in Sakura's smile. Leaning forward, she
+took another bite. Her mother felt bad for her that Sakura was in
+love with another, but Tomoyo was incredibly grateful to be Sakura's
+best friend. And moments like this were worth just about anything.
+Having Sakura feed her, seeing the brunette smile and lift the food
+to her lips, it made her heart swell. Her love for the Cardmistress
+was almost overwhelming at times like this. Oh, how she wanted to
+reach out and embrace her. These moments were glimpses of her dreams,
+little bits of her fantasies of being with Sakura. Even if she
+couldn't have Sakura's love, she was more than happy for the little
+pieces she could collect. And for a moment, she could forget that
+Sakura's heart belonged to another and simply revel in the here and
+now. She 'mmm'ed as Sakura pulled the chopsticks away.
+"Thanks, Tomoyo-chan. I was hoping you'd like it." Sakura took
+another morsel up to Tomoyo's lips, waiting for it to disappear
+between Tomoyo's soft, cute lips. Her heart pounded as it indeed
+disappeared, the slight tug on the chopstickes signalling the end of
+that bite. She had faint memories of wanting to feed Yukito
+strawberries when she was younger. This was the feeling she'd
+imagined along with it, that warm throbbing of her heart and the
+utterly perfect feeling of it all. Tomoyo smiled at her openly and
+lovingly, accepting each bite graciously, almost as if starved for a
+piece of Sakura's creation, the love Sakura had peppered throughout
+the meal. "Of course I'd like it," Tomoyo assured her. "I like
+anything Sakura-chan." With Sakura pausing before getting more food,
+the heiress took the time to give one of her patented smiles. "Tomoyo-
+chan..." Sakura sighed, mock chiding. "What am I going to do with
+you?"Placing her finger on her chin, Tomoyo looked deep in thought.
+"I can think of another things, but I think we'd need to make sure
+Kero-chan was in another room." Her eyes travelled over Sakura's
+graceful form, her smile growing. "We'll have to tell him to turn up
+the television, too. How loudly do you moan?""T...Tomoyo-chan...."
+Her face darkening, Sakura quickly grabbed another bite, popping it
+into Tomoyo's mouth to keep her quiet for a moment while a very
+embarrassed Sakura regained her composure. Tomoyo smiled at her,
+undaunted, and chewed the bite away. "You're so terrible. You
+shouldn't tease me like that." Her heart was racing and she couldn't
+tear her eyes away from the beautiful heiress before her.Finishing
+the bite, Tomoyo finally spoke again. "It isn't teasing if you mean
+what you're saying," the lavender haired girl corrected. "It's more
+of an offer." She nodded after a moment, affirming that it was indeed
+an offer. Resting her hands on Tomoyo's shoulders, Sakura giggled,
+her cheeks still slightly red. Her forehead came to rest against
+Tomoyo's. "I don't know what I'd do without you, Tomoyo-chan."Letting
+her eyes fall closed, Tomoyo felt her heartbeat quicken. Did Sakura
+know what a huge affect she had on her? How her heart would get so
+wild when she was near like this? Oh, Sakura... "I'm sure Sakura-chan
+would be fine without me. I just try to help when I can," she got
+out, her voice a little too soft. It was almost hard to think,
+feeling Sakura against her, knowing she was so close. 'Can we please
+stay like this?' Tomoyo wanted to ask, but she feared she was too
+breathless to get it out. Sakura had no idea of her true power, the
+way she held Tomoyo's heart enthralled to her.
+Sakura shook her head, her hair rustling against Tomoyo's. "You're
+my strength, Tomoyo-chan. I was talking to Sonomi-san earlier. She
+made me think of how lucky I am to have you. You make me stronger. I
+wouldn't have been able to have done it all without you. Syaoran
+helped me a lot, but you made me strong enough to get through it
+all." Her voice was starting to choke up. The thought of anyone
+taking Tomoyo away was like the thought of getting her oxygen taken
+away, something incredibly important. She would be so empty without
+Tomoyo. Her strength would flee her without Tomoyo to hold her up.
+"With you..." her eyes sparkled with unshed tears when she looked
+into Tomoyo's eyes. "With you, everything will always be all right."
+"Sakura-chan..." Tomoyo's fingers reached up, gently stroking
+Sakura's cheek. "I'm not going anywhere. I'm right here. I'll always
+be here for you. I'll always love you. Whether you love me or not, my
+heart will always be yours. I'll always be there to help you go
+forward, to help show you how strong and beautiful and wonderful you
+are. You make sure that everything will always be all right, Sakura-
+chan. That's your magic. I just make sure that you remember it and
+pour your heart into it." Her hand trailed to Sakura's heart. "You
+have to believe it with all your heart. And I'm here to make sure you
+know how true it is, how you can accomplish anything." Sakura's
+heartbeat was quick under her palm. She left her palm there, counting
+the beats in her mind. Sakura's heart, kissing her palm. The heiress
+smiled softly. "Let's have cake, Sakura-chan. Your father made you
+some. We'll have that and watch a movie. And I'll be right here with
+you." Sakura's heart slowly calmed against her palm.The brunette
+nodded almost imperceptibly at first, but more assuredly a second
+time. "That sounds nice, Tomoyo-chan. I'd like that." She held
+Tomoyo's hand to her heart, interlacing her fingers with Tomoyo's own
+delicate fingers. She smiled when she opened her eyes, the tears
+fading. They were a team, after all. Whatever happened.
+~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
+Syaoran was so tired of talking to self-important people. How did
+his mother handle all the meaningless blather? Yes, it was to keep
+important ties between the Li Clan and other influential families and
+people throughout Hong Kong. But it was so frustrating. Small talk
+wasn't his forte. Everyone wanted to speak to the new heir to the Li
+Clan and his mother, Ieran, made sure they were all directed neatly
+to him. He had to make so many assurances and he had to discuss the
+most inane things. It almost seemed like a better option to just walk
+out of the damn thing. His sisters were much, much better with people
+than he was, chatting away with the different guests they had.
+Syaoran would have been happier practicing his magic out in the
+gathering storm. It felt so crowded. He just wanted to get away for a
+moment, but he knew he couldn't. This was his job now, his place as
+the heir to the Li Clan.
+A hand on his shoulder almost made him jump. Not another person to
+talk to. His sister, Sheifa, had told him to try smiling more, but he
+didn't feel like smiling for these people. Sighing inwardly, the
+young magician turned to start some more worthless rambling about
+things he didn't care for. Blink blink. A halfgrin and amber eyes met
+his gaze.
+Meiling smiled at him, arching a raven eyebrow. "Surprised to see
+me? I just got here. I had to take care of some things for my
+mother." Stepping closer, her voice dropped to a whisper. "Dance with
+me. They'll leave you alone while you're dancing." Seeing the boy
+hesitate for a moment, Meiling placed his hands on her body and began
+to dance with him, moving towards the other couples who were dancing.
+"See? That's not so bad. And no more stupid conversations you have to
+pretend to be interested in."Syaoran let out a light sigh, giving
+Meiling a nod as they moved. "Thanks, Meiling. I owe you one." He let
+himself relax a bit, moving in tandem with Meiling. After years of
+practicing martial arts with his cousin, they had very good rhythm
+together. A few people looked on as they danced, surprised by how
+good the two were. They knew where the other's movement would lead
+them. It wasn't a problem of having to guess. They simply knew. So
+for the time being, at least, Syaoran didn't have to worry about the
+world around him. Meiling felt like an extension of himself, moving
+with the same step as he did.
+"Don't say that," Meiling whispered. "Or I'll hold you to it. And
+you wouldn't like what I had you do to repay me," she warned, her
+breath warm in his ear. She laughed softly as she saw him try to
+scowl and fail, his cheeks just the lightest shade of red. "Your
+sisters seem more well versed in the art of small talk." The raven
+haired girl glanced across at one of Syaoran's sisters talking to an
+important banker as they danced. "But I understand why you wouldn't
+like it. I hate having to kiss up to these people. Sometimes I hate
+family politics. Makes you just want to run off and scream." She
+scrunched up her face and even Syaoran had to grin.
+"Yeah, I know," Syaoran replied, sighing.  "But there's nothing I
+can do about it. This is my place now. I need to do what's best for
+the Clan." He had been preparing for this postion his whole life. He
+knew he was prepared for it. But that didn't make it any less
+frustrating at times. It simply made him determined to push past it
+all. He would prove he was a worthy successor. He would make his
+mother proud even if it killed him.Meiling closed her eyes as they
+danced, holding on tighter to her cousin. "I know what you mean. We
+all have our roles to play in the family. It's bigger and more
+important than what we want. But sometimes... Sometimes you just want
+to go do something stupid, something just for you."
+Nodding slowly, the brunette boy felt Meiling's long pigtail swish
+over his hand, feeling her heart beating against his chest as they
+danced. His arms pulled her closer almost without his noticing.
+Sometimes Meiling could seem so fragile, so delicate. It was such a
+departure from her normally strong, confident self. He always wanted
+to protect her when she was like that, just as he had when they had
+been children together. He wanted to make her feel warm and safe
+again. He held her even closer, her breath caressing his neck. She
+did so much for him. She had been his support this whole time,
+helping him through all the trials that faced him. He felt useless
+for not being able to return the favor. She didn't need his
+protection anymore. She was a big girl, a strong woman. When they had
+been children, she had needed him. But now, it was reversed. Now he
+needed... With a curt nod of his head, he tried to slice the thought
+off, but it didn't entirely go away.
+Syaoran tried to send his mind elsewhere, turning slowly with her as
+the music and chatter of voices surrounded them. Meiling was getting
+married soon, sacrificed as another offering for the family. He could
+go out on a limb and try to stop the marriage, but she didn't care.
+He felt as if he had failed her somehow. Did she love him? No, of
+course not. But she wasn't fighting the marriage, even with her fiery
+spirit. Had he crushed her spirits? All those years, endlessly loving
+him, without anything in return. Had she finally just given up? He
+wanted to make it up to her somehow, to make things better for her.
+She'd sacrificed so much to him. 'Meiling, you were never a bother,'
+he thought. He had told her that long ago when she'd been forced to
+go home during his time capturing the Clow Cards. And it was true.
+Meiling had never been a bother. She'd always been his safety net,
+helping to keep him going. And what had he given her in return? A
+broken heart. And here Meiling was, again trying to save him from the
+boredom of this stupid event. She was always there for him.
+The two continued twirling under the stars that were the lights
+above them. Meiling's body was warm and comfortable against Syaoran's
+strong, thin body. Her soft breathing kept a steady rhythm on his
+shoulder, her hair swishing now and then against his hands. He
+swallowed nervously, still moving in tandem with her. A soft sigh
+escaped his cousin, muffled by his shoulder.
+"I've never been good at being patient. 'I'll be your fiancee until
+you find the one you love most.' I remember making you promise that
+when we were little." Meiling laughed softly, her voice strained.
+Syaoran couldn't tell if there was a sob in her voice or not. "I wish
+you hadn't found her."
+"Meiling..." Syaoran didn't know what to say. He never wanted to
+break her heart. The only girl who had always cared for him. Even
+moreso than disappointing his mother, he hated hurting Meiling. But
+what could he say to that? It wasn't like he could just take it back.
+His mind raced in frustrating circles, mocking him.
+Cupping Meiling's chin, his heart pounding, he pulled her lips
+against his own. Meiling's lips felt altogether different from
+Sakura's, but no less as wonderful. They were frozen against his own
+for a moment before they seemed to melt, springing to life against
+his own. His heart beat faster as Meiling's fingers dug into him, his
+cousin slowly kissing back.  Her lips felt so wonderful against his
+own. They were so soft and warm and full of like. Meiling shifted,
+her lips pushing further against his own. If he could just hold her
+like this... Maybe he could make things better. He could finally heal
+Meiling's broken heart. It took all of Meiling's strength to finally
+pull away from the kiss. It was a kiss she had waited over a decade
+for and part at her screamed that she must be mad to give up on it.
+But she clamped down on the feelings, balling her fists and pulling
+away from Syaoran. Her eyes narrowed to keep from betraying the
+cacophony of the emotions inside of her. "I have to go." Her voice
+was weaker than she would have liked, but she didn't have time to be
+picky. As she turned to leave, his hand reached out for her. Her hand
+launched out and caught his wrist. Her eyes shot him a glance. "You
+have a girlfriend and I'm getting married. Great time to decide to
+seduce me. You finally take a shot when I'm unavailable. Not very
+sporting. I love you, Syaoran. But I will never be second best to
+you. I'd be yours if I were your first choice. I'm not going to play
+for you because Sakura's too far away at the moment." Turning on her
+heal, the raven haired girl hurried out into the gathering storm, her
+emotions mirrored in the heavens. She was disappointed and hurt and
+apologetic all at the same time. She was angry with him and angry at
+herself. Syaoran could only watch for a long moment, seeing Meiling
+run out the door, tears glistening in her eyes. "Meiling!!" But it
+was too late. She was already gone. He had thought it was what she
+wanted. It felt so nice to finally be able to kiss her. What had gone
+wrong? Had he been wrong? Did her heart really belong to another now?
+"Good job, Syaoran," a voice said behind him. Fanren held her arms
+behind her back, a bemused look on her face. "Leave me the hell
+alone," Syaoran growled quietly, his eyes shooting daggers. "She left
+herself open for you all these years. She kept pining after you even
+after you started dating Sakura. But Meiling is a very proud girl.
+She wants to be the one you love the most. She can't stand to be
+second best. And now you're picking her because you're lonely and
+she's getting married. You insulted her. Now she feels like she isn't
+good enough," Fanren explained."I didn't... I never meant..." Syaoran
+trailed off. What had he meant by it? He still loved Sakura, didn't
+he? But what about Meiling? He hadn't meant that she was second best,
+only that... His emotions felt so indecipherable sometimes. He closed
+his eyes, clenching his jaw. Damn it.... He wanted to go after
+Meiling, but he didn't know what to say. This was another time that
+he couldn't save her.

Mercurial > moonlitnights

comparison old/stories/CCScharity_3.txt @ 2:fc00894c1d4a moonlitnights