A/N: This is my first S and S story that is going to be made of chapters. Actually, I haven't even written any one shots but one a long time ago. Heh. Okay. Some IMPORTANT THINGS: I'm following the anime here, because a) I have yet to find the sixth manga book in my small town, and b) there're are more cards to choose from that will come in handy later. I love the manga more, but the anime is just GAH as well. Now, I live in Canada so they only air the really bad American version, but thanks to the manga I know their Japanese names, so I'm using them instead. Heehee. Hope it's okay! And you know the title is so creative.
PS: There is no Wei. I don't like Wei. I like Syaoran living alone. Heehee.
Disclaimer: Things relating to Cardcaptor Sakura like characters, cards, location, etc. belong to the five wonderful ladies at CLAMP. Plot belongs to me, obviously, and…yea. Hope you enjoy!
Two Years After
"OH MY GOSH! I'M GOING TO BE SO LAAAAATE! KERO WHY DIDN'T YOU WAKE ME UP? YOU PROMISED!" Sakura nearly shrieked her head off, bounding out of bed and wrenching her closet open in one step. She flung out a green skirt and elbow-length pink shirt. She pulled on her socks as she hopped around her room, grabbing her hairbrush and pulling her skirt on at the same time. After she had switched shirts, she finally heard a noise from within Kero's drawer.
"Why're you being so loud?" he mumbled, poking his head out and rubbing his eyes. "What time is it?"
"IT'S TEN THIRTY, KERO!" Sakura screamed again, brushing her hair rapidly as she slid on her other sock. She managed to send an evil glare Kero's way. "You promised to wake me up! Now I'm going to be late!"
"Oh. Right," Kero managed to mutter, a small grin on his teddy bear face. "Woops."
"KERO!" Sakura grabbed her bag and flung it over her left shoulder. "HE'S GOING TO BE SOOO MAD!" With that, Sakura flung her door open and nearly stampeded down the stairs, leaving a shocked Kero in her wake.
She glanced at her watch and then at the airport that had just appeared on the horizon. One more glance at the cab driver told her she would be late to pick him up.
"Excuse me," she began with a strained, but polite voice, "can you hurry just a bit? The person I'm meeting is important."
It took a few moments for the driver to reply. "You're only thirteen," he said slowly, as if that explained everything. Sakura growled, slamming back into the seat of the cab, muttering darkly to herself and checking her watch again. Five minutes past. He was always too punctual for Sakura. She had just managed to pull herself out of bed thirty minutes ago. It was lucky she had seen this cab driving along her street, or she may have been in trouble. With her dad gone out to work and Toya off somewhere…
"We're here, Miss." The words snapped Sakura back into reality. She nodded at him, told him to stay here until she came back, and then continued to sit in the back seat. She wanted to move and get out of the car, but her body wouldn't listen. She was trembling from head to toe and felt like she was going to be sick. It's safer if you just sit here, a voice told her. She willingly agreed.
"Miss? Aren't you…?"
"Oh. Yes." Sakura slid across the seat abruptly, the voice screaming to get back in. But she found herself opening the car door and stepping out into the brilliant sunlight. Sakura squinted her eyes, surveying the busy scene that was Tomoeda Airport.
Sakura felt her breath come in quick, painful gasps as she continued to stand, rooted to the spot. People leaving and entering the airport passed Sakura without a second glance. Sakura felt like tearing her hair out in frustration. She wanted to go, she wanted to see him…but at the same time, she wanted to run back home and pretend she hadn't received that phone call. She knew what it would be like—awkward, silent, and completely different. She hadn't seen him for two years. Hadn't felt his hands or hair or clothes. She hadn't seen his warm brown eyes or his shy smile. She had only heard his deeper voice on the phone, and had only read his writing in letters and emails. She knew how strange it was going to be to see him. And yet, her heart cried out to do just that. It swelled with the thought of even catching a glimpse of him, let alone knowing he was going to be there again for a long time…
Sakura made a disgruntled little noise, straightened her green skirt, and marched right through the airport doors, intent on every step she made, her eyes down to the floor. She had the horrible feeling he wouldn't come. He wouldn't be here, and he'd make up some excuse and Sakura would go back to feeling alone and stretched out across the countries. She didn't want that feeling again. Not ever.
It had seemed like ten seconds when Sakura realized she was in the waiting room. She began to fidget nervously, glancing at her watch every ten seconds. After two minutes, she peeked out the large window. There were no airplanes there, and it was already twenty after eleven!
"You're always late, aren't you?" asked a voice from behind Sakura. She froze in the process of scratching her nose. She knew that voice. It had changed, but she knew it. She felt her face turn red already, and she felt her breathing quicken again. Finally, she knew she had to turn around so she wouldn't seem rude.
Squeezing her eyes shut, Sakura whirled around to face the voice. It took her a whole ten seconds to finally open them. She couldn't help but let out a small gasp at what stood before her.
Syaoran was definitely different. His hair was the same color, if not a bit longer and messier. He was much taller than before, and his skin was darker. He wore dark blue pants and an orange, button up t-shirt. He held three bags in his hands and on his face was a nervous smile.
"S-S-Syaoran?" she asked meekly. She could tell he was just as surprised as her because of the shocked expression on his face.
"Are you Sakura?" he asked back, his face blushing a deep red. Sakura let out a nervous giggle.
"Yea, it's me."
"You look—different," he decided, and Sakura swooned at his voice. It was right here, in front of her. Not over the phone, but beside her, in person.
"So do you," she answered back. A heavy silence fell over them. Sakura couldn't handle it. Out of impulse, she leapt up and wrapped herself a hug around Syaoran, squeezing him tightly and hiding her face in his shoulder. She heard the suitcases drop from his hands in surprise.
"I missed you so much," she mumbled into his shirt. It smelled like it had been washed that morning. It took a few moments for Syaoran to answer.
"I missed you too," he told her quietly, and she could just see his beet red face. She smiled into his shoulder.
"I have a cab waiting outside. I guess we should hurry," she told him quietly. He nodded.
The two didn't move.
"Sorry, sorry, so sorry!" Sakura said for the hundredth time as she slid into the cab. The driver ignored her apologies and turned down the radio. Sakura silently fumed, annoyed that the driver didn't acknowledge her.
Two seconds later Syaoran slid in beside her, shutting the door with a click. He did up his seatbelt silently, as did Sakura. As the cab took off down the road, a silence settled itself between the two. Sakura had hoped that after the hug things would be easier now. Actually, it seemed as if it had made things even more awkward. Neither could utter a sound. Instead the only noise came from the radio, and the driver singing along to the music at random intervals.
"Excuse me," Sakura suddenly said to the driver. Even Syaoran managed to look her way. "Can you please head to Penguin King Park?"
"Will do," the driver agreed, and then began singing again. Good thing there was glass between them. The noise was slightly muffled then.
Another silence. Sakura felt like she was under inspection.
"You've grown taller," she said to the floor, blushing furiously. She heard Syaoran shift uncomfortably.
"Is that good or bad?" he asked.
Sakura smiled. "Definitely good."
"Thanks then."
Another, heavier, silence.
"You've grown out your hair," Syaoran told her, barely above a whisper. Sakura fingered the ends carefully. They now came down to her shoulders.
"Yea," she answered lamely, not bothering to tell him she had begun growing it out to impress him when he returned. "Does it look okay?"
"It looks nice," he said hesitantly, and Sakura knew that was a big compliment coming from Syaoran.
"Thanks," she told him. "So where will you be staying?" she asked.
"Back at my old house. Most of my bags were sent here earlier."
"Oh. That's cool."
He didn't answer. Sakura fidgeted in her seat, feeling the leather of the seat stick uncomfortably to the back of her legs.
After ten more minutes of heavy silence, the cab driver stopped at the park. "Is this the final stop?" Sakura was about to answer when Syaoran cut her off. "Yes."
Sakura looked over at him with a surprised look on her face.
"I can walk from here," he said simply, opening the door and stepping out. Sakura followed suit and chased him to the back of the car, where she helped lift out a suitcase.
"You can't walk from here! Not with all these bags!"
"I'll be fine."
Sakura heard the edge in his voice and backed off. She'd badger him about it later.
After paying the driver, Sakura helped carry two bags into the park, panting heavily by the time they reached the swings.
"Are you okay?" Syaoran asked, concerned. Sakura blushed under his worried gaze.
"Yea, I'm fine. Did you pack rocks in here or something?" She let out a nervous laugh and Syaoran gave her a similar, nervous smile.
"Just for you," he replied curtly. Sakura smiled and sat down on a swig abruptly, staring at the giant penguin slide and the two little children playing on it. A slight breeze blew past the couple. The sun was shining down on them, making Sakura more hot and uncomfortable then before. There were no clouds in the sky, which was a change from the rain they had been having all week. She supposed it was a good omen.
"So did you hear about Rika and Tereda-sensei?" Sakura asked suddenly. You're so stupid, reprimanded the voice. Talk about someone ELSE on the day he comes back because he loves you just that much? Yea, you're a genius.
"I've been in Hong Kong this whole time, so unless they sent news to all of Asia…"
Sakura laughed nervously. "Sorry. I—well—forgot. And that's really rude too. Augh! I'm sorry!" She turned away from him, just because he was smiling. She was sure he was laughing at her.
"What're you sorry about? It's just gossip, isn't it?"
Sakura nodded numbly. "Yea…I just—nevermind." She turned around and smiled at him, hoping to make him forget about her little episode. If he only knew she wanted to please him so much, to make him feel welcome and normal. It was so hard though. So hard.
"So anyway," she began, "they're supposedly together! I mean, I haven't heard it from Rika myself because I haven't seen her all summer break, but I met up with Chiharu and she told me that! Can you believe it? A teacher and a student. I never would have thought…"
Sakura saw the frown appear on Syaoran's face before she had even finished her sentence. She felt her stomach twist uncomfortably. She didn't like that frown. "Is something wrong?" she asked hesitantly.
"What? Oh. No, nothing. So…so when did they get together?"
"I don't know exactly. Chiharu said this summer, but Rika liked him forever. I guess it's good that he doesn't teach us anymore…" For the second time in less than one minute, Sakura let her sentence drift off. Syaoran had, once again, a frown plastered on his face. Sakura decided to fall silent and began swinging slowly back and forth.
Syaoran suddenly made a noise, as if he were going to say something. Sakura looked over at him expectantly, but he kept his eyes to the ground and his hands wrapped tightly around the chains of the swing. She resisted the urge to sigh heavily and looked over at the penguin slide again, swinging just a little bit.
"You—You look very…very pretty," he managed to stutter. Sakura felt her face grow warm and looked over at Syaoran, whose face was nearly giving off heat. His eyes were still focused on the ground, and Sakura noticed his knuckles were white as his hands grasped onto the chains.
"Thanks," Sakura replied meekly, fingering her new hair once again. For two people who admitted their love for each other to one another, you'd think they'd have more to talk about—or at least it wouldn't be so awkward.
"Do you remember Christmas?" Sakura suddenly asked, looking up at the sky as she remembered.
"Christmas? What Christmas?" Syaoran asked nervously.
"The one in grade six, silly! I remember how you asked me to visit you in Hong Kong. It was so hot that Christmas!"
Sakura knew the topic she had brought up was making Syaoran very nervous. He didn't say anything, but instead continued to blush and look at the sky as well. Sakura snuck a glance at him and smiled to herself.
"I remember helping you and your family decorate your mansion," Sakura continued, blushing to herself. "Meiling was there too. Your sisters were setting up that really big Christmas tree, and your maids were helping us decorate the walls and things. Remember?"
Syaoran nodded stiffly. "Yea—I remember."
"And then," continued Sakura, almost talking to herself now, "Meiling brought out the box of mistletoe. She was sticking them everywhere—on the sofa, the tables, the windows, everywhere!" Sakura paused and blushed deeply. "She ran outside to decorate the door with them, she said. She ran back in and told us she dropped one off of the balcony and that she had to finish decorating in the living room, so would we mind grabbing it?" Sakura fell silent, feeling her face heat up. "We went out the front door and past the shadow of the balcony Meiling had dropped it on. You bent to pick it up and that's when I looked up to the balcony to see Meiling had plastered some mistletoe on the balcony. 'Look,' I had said without thinking, 'some mistletoe!'" Sakura couldn't continue with the story. She didn't know why she was bringing it up. Obviously Syaoran had remembered it. But—
"And then," Sakura said again, "And then…"
"And then I—I kissed you," Syaoran said quietly, and Sakura looked over at him. His face was beet red and he was looking at his toes. Sakura smiled at him.
"Yea. That was grade six. A really long time ago…" she began to swing again, feeling the wind rush past her hair. "But I'm glad you came back."
"Me too," Syaoran replied quietly, drawing patterns in the sand with the toe of his shoe. Sakura felt her heart flutter at his voice again. She still couldn't believe that Syaoran was here again, right beside her.
"Are you excited to be going to school here again?"
"Yea," Syaoran told her, nodding. "It'll be good to see everyone again."
Sakura laughed. "Tomoyo was so excited when I told her you were coming. I think she wants us to try on costumes or something so she can tape us," Sakura giggled, glad the tension was finally easing away.
Syaoran looked at her warily. "Please tell me you don't want to."
"Oh, I don't," Sakura said hurriedly. "Wearing those costumes always made me feel awkward, but Tomoyo was always so happy when I wore them. But don't worry, I won't make you wear matching ones or anything!"
Syaoran laughed, and it made Sakura's heart swell. "That's good. Tomoyo kind of scares me," he said quietly. Sakura giggled.
"Yea, I can see how. She's a little—er—excitable," she decided. Syaoran nodded in agreement. Another silence fell, but this time it wasn't as tension filled or nearly as awkward. It was actually somewhat…peaceful.
"Oh!" Sakura suddenly cried, clapping her hands together. Syaoran looked round at her. "There's a huge party going on at Tomoyo's next week!"
"A party?" Syaoran asked lightly.
"Yea!" Sakura nodded excitedly as she began to swing slowly back and forth again. "I completely forgot! Something huge, important, and good happened to Tomoyo's mom's toy business, so she's throwing a party for the whole city! It's really unlike her, but it's getting so much publicity. I guess it's 'cause she can afford TV commercials and stuff." Sakura looked up at the sky. "I'm so excited to go. I wonder who's all going to be there?"
Syaoran shrugged. "Probably everyone, if it's as big as you make it sound," he said knowledgeably and somewhat teasingly. Sakura only stuck her tongue out at him.
"It's gonna be SO big though. I mean, there's going to be tons of food and music and games and dancing! Tomoyo said she was putting together a mix just for dancing!"
"The only dancing I know is ball room dancing," Syaoran stated wryly. Sakura giggled knowingly.
"Same here, but I might just step on your feet."
"Then I'll do well to avoid them," quoted Syaoran from their lines of the play two years earlier. Sakura laughed out loud, and Syaoran even chuckled.
"That was such a fun play," Sakura said. "I'm glad you became the lead instead of Takashi."
Syaoran smiled. "Thanks."
Just then, Sakura glanced at her watch and let out an audible gasp. "We should get your bags to your house now!"
"We?" asked back Syaoran. Sakura smiled as she ran for one of the bags.
"Did you think I was going to let you carry all these bricks home by yourself? Sometimes you're so selfish," she teased, gripping one tightly and dragging it across the sand.
"Are you sure you can manage though?" Syaoran asked seriously, ignoring her teasing comments. "It's not like I live around the corner you know."
Sakura suddenly grinned at him in a mischievous way. "Oh, I know that. Hang on one second, I'll be right back!" She looked furtively over at the two children, than ran behind a tree. Syaoran watched curiously until he saw her magic circle appear. With an inward groan, he knew what she was going to do.
Suddenly, Sakura raced back out, as normal looking as ever. "Well, shall we go?" she asked quickly, grabbing the bag and lifting it with much more ease than before.
Syaoran stayed silent as they walked along the street. Sakura barely felt the weight of the bags, so she was able to concentrate on Syaoran. "Why're you so quiet?" she asked.
"I'm not dense you know," he said suddenly. "I know you used the Power card." He looked at her rather pointedly. Sakura gave a nervous giggle.
"I didn't…" she said through helpless and very nervous giggles. "You're imagining, Syaoran."
Syaoran rolled his eyes. "You know that you're not supposed to use them for little things—like carrying my bags."
Sakura flapped a hand at him. "Oh, they're my cards now, I think I get a say in how I use them, hmm?"
Syaoran made some incoherent mumbles, but Sakura only smiled. "You know, I could always help you carry those bags--"
"No way!" he said loudly. "I don't cheat."
"It's not cheating!" Sakura told him huffily. "It's helping along the way."
Syaoran couldn't help but smile at that, which relieved Sakura. So she wasn't completely messing up so far.
"Hey, Sakura?" Syaoran asked quietly. Sakura looked over at him curiously.
"Yes?"
"Thanks," he said meekly. Sakura looked curiously at him.
"Thanks? For what?"
"For—for making me feel at home again," he said even more quietly. Sakura felt a blush rise to her cheeks. She never used to blush this much!
"Oh, it's no problem!" she said hurriedly. "I wanted to make you feel at home again." Because I want this to be your home, she thought inwardly, but didn't say anything like that aloud.
Syaoran only grinned, and Sakura felt her heart beat faster at that smile.
Two blocks later, Syaoran asked, "Sakura…do you mind lending me some of that strength?"
Sakura laughed as she grabbed her key. "Sure! Cheater," she added. Syaoran only blushed, which made Sakura smile again. As she ran behind a tree (she was on a busy road.), to change the key into her staff, she realized that maybe things wouldn't be so bad.
"I'm hooome!" Sakura cried, slipping off her shoes and stepping into her new duck slippers. She had been at Syaoran's the rest of the afternoon helping him fix up his house again. She grinned to herself at the memory, and how he had made a supper she could only dream of ever cooking. With a curious look Sakura stepped into the kitchen. "Hello?" she asked somewhat timidly. That was odd. Her dad should at least be home…
"Sakura!" Kero popped out from a cupboard, where food was spilling out and onto the floor. Sakura let out a gasp.
"Kero!" she yelled back, but not in a happy way as Kero had done. He looked down at the cupboard.
"What?"
"You're making a huge mess!" Sakura cried as she ran over and began to slide the boxes of food neatly into the shelves again. Kero made a noise of disapproval.
"Well if you just made me food once in a while…"
"You don't need food," Sakura snapped back, bringing back her broom and began sweeping up the spilled food. "Honestly. First you don't wake me up, than you make a huge mess. You're lucky no one else was here, or else I'd be the one to get into trouble!"
"Oh that's right. There should be a note for you on the table," Kero said as he hovered in the air. "Your dad came in earlier this morning when you gone to leave you one."
After sweeping, Sakura rushed over to the note on the table. Squinting, she read his tiny writing. "Sakura," she began aloud, "Where were you this morning? It's my excavation, remember? Well, Toya knows and he should be home soon. I'll see you in three days, honey. I love you. Love, Dad." Sakura got a horrified look on her face.
"Oh no! I totally forgot about Dad's excavation! Oooh, now I feel so bad I didn't say goodbye!" Sakura crumpled the note and tossed it in the garbage can, pacing the kitchen. "I hope Toya was nice for once and told him I said bye or something."
"He'll be back in three days, and then you can tell him you're sorry or whatever you want to tell him," Kero said from behind her. He was sitting at the table and eating a cookie from the dish in the center. Sakura rolled her eyes.
"Don't you ever stop eating, Kero?"
"Don't you ever stop thinking about your boyfriend?" he shot back through a mouth filled with cookie crumbs. Sakura blushed red.
"Stop it, Kero!"
"Stop what?"
"Teasing me about that! You HAVE for the past two years! It's annoying," she cried, waggling her finger.
"What's annoying?"
"Augh! Nevermind!" Sakura stomped up to her bedroom, where she shut the door behind her rather hard. "Kero always has to go and make me feel so stupid," she muttered under her breath. Sitting down on her bed, Sakura saw her book of cards on the table. It was now pink rather than red, and it said Sakura at the top. Grabbing the book she looked at it lovingly. The thought of someone else doing what she was doing now with these cards made her almost sad. Kero and Yue would have a different master someday, and these cards would have to be changed one day as well. Wouldn't they?
She stopped thinking about it and instead opening the book. She took out her cards and shuffled through them until she got to a certain one; Hope. She was so surprised that her card and the Void had joined together to create Hope. "Hope," she whispered quietly to herself. There was still hope that things between her and Syaoran would work out.
"Hope," she said to the card, as if it were a neighbor rather than a piece of paper, "I hope Syaoran doesn't get tired of me. I know you don't grant wishes, but I'm pretty sure you understand what I mean, since you're Hope and all. I really want Syaoran to feel normal and at home again. I want it to be like how it used to be, you know? I guess it just feels weird between us right now because of the two years we haven't seen each other, but…"
Sakura paused. She had heard a noise outside. Opening her door a crack, she peeked out to see Kero asleep on the floor just outside her door. He must have eaten so much that he had fallen asleep before even reaching her room! Sakura gave him an annoyed look, than ran back to her bed to shuffle through the card once more.
"This'll teach you to make fun of me," she said under her breath, stifling a giggle as she called upon her key. When it was a staff, she held up the card she wanted.
"Lock," she began, "lock my door and hear my plea, keep Kero out for me!" She held up the staff and saw Lock zoom out of the card, latching itself onto her doorknob and then fizzling away. Sakura grinned. Let Kero sleep out there tonight. It'd show him.
With a smile Sakura sat on her bed again, taking out all the cards and setting them up on her bed. "You guys always know how to help me," she told them, giggling. "Thanks."
Her eyes drifted towards the Hope card again, her thoughts drifting to Syaoran.
"And you helped keep Syaoran with me," she whispered to the card. "And I thank you especially for that."
A/N: Well, that's it for my first chapter of my S and S story. I know it's a bit boring, but that's because he just came back. They had to talk some and I had to show just how awkward it was. So, I hope you don't get turned off by this particularly nasty chapter. Something, hopefully, interesting will come along if my muses are with me these days. Thanks for reading!