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.