Shiroi Kokoro
By SMYGO4EVA

For some reason, Sakura found herself unable to sleep that night. Usually she didn't have much trouble getting to sleep, heck she often got to sleep at the drop of a hat, but this night it was different. It was as if all of the troubles that she and the others had been through, all of its aftereffects, were finally catching up to her. It was strange, really. Most of the time she tried not to let such things bother her too much, no use in worrying so much, but this time was different.

At that moment, she thought if she were to walk around a little bit and try to clear her head, she would be able to fall asleep. That should help, right? So with that, Sakura tiptoed out of her appointed bedroom, and quietly shuffled towards the end of the hallway. Perhaps walking towards the kitchen would aid her sudden insomnia. She treaded softly past Syaoran and Kurogane's room, but at once decided to take a peek inside. The door creaked only slightly when she peered in, and saw Syaoran , who was sound asleep in the bed while Kurogane took to an armchair in the left corner of the room. Mokona was perched on Kurogane's head, its little snores audible but cute at the same time. It took all Sakura had not to chuckle at the sight. She closed the door to the room, and stealthily went on her way.

She was in the home stretch towards the kitchen, edging past Fai's appointed bedroom, when she heard something really interesting. Interesting and odd.

"S-Sakura…"

The little girl stopped in her tracks. Oh no – had she woken Fai up? All her muscles tensed up, her hair standing on end; this was not what she intended to happen. Sakura looked towards Fai's door. It hadn't moved – for all she knew, she had been quiet as a mouse; what could have woken him up?

She peeked inside his room – his door didn't even squeak as she decided to tiptoe inside to see what was going on with him. Everything in his room looked very pristine – from the time they had gotten to the little cottage in this world up until now, nothing had been touched or moved out of place. That was just like Fai, Sakura thought to herself – not wanting to disrupt anything.

In the confines of his bed, Fai looked like he was asleep. Sound asleep as a matter of fact. From what it looked like, he was curled up in the covers, all snug and comfortable, dead to the world. Sakura envied him – how was he able to sleep so contentedly?

Maybe she had imagined him calling to her. Yeah, that was probably it. Closing her eyes in confirmation, she turned away, but just as she tiptoed away from the bed, just as she placed one foot flat on the floorboard, she heard something again.

"Sakura…"

Her breath hitched as she stepped back and turned to the sleeping Fai once again. She was sure that she heard him say her name. But why? Of all the people with them, why was he saying her name and no one else's? This was all very confusing to her.

Tempted to come closer to the bed, Sakura tiptoed to Fai's bed where she saw the mage stir a little and she gingerly sat down, hoping that she didn't wake him. Breathing a sigh of relief when she didn't disrupt him, she leaned in closer; looming over the magician's stirring form in innocent curiosity that was waiting to be realized.

"Sakura…"

This time, when Fai uttered her name, there was an added breathiness to it, a stirring of some sort…almost as if…

Oh Good Lord. The aforementioned girl put one hand over her mouth and the other stayed clenched to her side as she felt a blush cross her cheeks. W-W-Was he…dreaming…or…perish the thought…

Fantasizing about her?

Oh Good Lord.

How was she supposed to react to such circumstances? Should she react at all? Should she just go back to her room and forget this ever happened?

This got her thinking…d-d-did Fai have…feelings for her? Does Fai have feelings for her?

Well…she had to admit…she did hold a special place in her heart for Fai, a place where she held all of his greatest qualities and loved him so dearly and tenderly, a place reserved for him and only him…but she held a place in her heart for a lot of the people in her life…right?

It was then Sakura got an interesting idea. If Fai was in fact dreaming about…her, she thought, what if she…tried to kiss him while he was asleep? Would he react? Would he turn away?

There was only one way to find out.

Sakura edged closer to Fai's sleeping form with a sudden mix of boldness and curiosity – she scooted over until she could feel the emanating warmth coming from his slumbering body. He hadn't budged yet.

She leaned closer to Fai's face, careful as not to let her breathing affect his porcelain features.

Could she do this?

…Yeah.

She could do this.

Closing her eyes, she leaned as far as she could, until her lips touched his surprisingly soft ones. Her heart started to pump faster, the piano keys of her heart going ever so quickly against her chest. What had started as a quiet concerto had turned into an all-out symphony in the pit of her stomach, the cello strings vibrating ever so deeply. It was as if everything was coming together.

What was she feeling?

Against her better judgment, she made the kiss deeper, feeling the contours of Fai's beautiful and (admittedly) delicious lips against her own. With the kiss, she was reminded of the scent of apples and vanilla.

The kiss…it felt nice….it was as if their souls were merging into one being, with such vivid colors and feelings coming to pass.

It was as if…she felt complete.

She had never felt more complete than in this moment. She never wanted it to end.

After another moment of this, another moment of her feeling something she had never felt before, Sakura's lips left Fai's. He hadn't stirred.

She wasn't sure what to make of what just transpired.

She stood up, brushing herself off, and made her way towards the door.

It was then she heard stirring. It was Fai stirring.

She turned around to see Fai sitting up in his bed; his azure eyes a mix of lethargy and alertness.

"S-S-Sakura?"

There was that name again. Her name.

But, instead of the deep-seated passion that she had heard her name in moments ago, this time her name was dipped in a pool of questions and surprise.

Sakura cleared her throat, and then responded, "Y-Yes, Fai?"

Following this, Fai blinked once. Twice. Three times, as if still trying to get the sleepies out of his eyes. An ever-familiar smile met his sweet, charming lips.

"Was that you kissing me just now?" His melodious voice met Sakura's ears as she tried to make the synapses in her brain work, trying to find something to say to him so that he didn't think she was a raving lunatic. Best to go with the truth.

"Y-Yes, Fai. Yes it was…are you mad?"

The mage's smile widened as he chuckled inwardly. "No, not at all. Why would I be mad at you?"

Sakura was puzzled. He seemed so calm. "I-I'm not sure. I just though that m-maybe you would be mad seeing me in your room, disturbing your sleep, or something like that. I-I-I c-c-couldn't sleep, so I was going to go to the k-k-kitchen, but then I heard you…um…um…saying my name…while you were sleeping." She shut her eyes, preparing for the worst.

Fai titled his head to the side a little bit, his eyes on the floor. He was a little more than embarrassed. But that came naturally when dealing with matters of the heart. "Why…yes. I guess I didn't realize it until now."

Sakura opened her eyes slightly. "Umm…realize what?" That I'm a huge idiot?

Fai smiled once again as he said,"I guess you would say the name of someone you're dreaming about. Someone you happen to love."

Sakura's eyes burst open. Did he say…"Love?"

Fai nodded. "That's right – Love."

The princess could hardly believe her ears. She couldn't believe her eyes, her ears, her feet, anything about how this night had turned out. Did he say…wow.

The mage got up from the covers, and walked up to the shocked girl standing in front of him. He gently lifted up her chin, looked into her eyes, and said, "I love you, Princess Sakura, and nothing will ever change that."

All at once, Sakura's eyes welled up and a smile graced her countenance. "Oh my… I-I-love you too, Fai!" She gave Fai a huge hug, one that he was more than happy to return.

"You have no idea how happy this makes me! Thank you, Thank you, Thank you, Fai!" Sakura said into the crook of his neck.

"You're very welcome, Sakura," Fai said, his lips near the outer edges of one of Sakura's ears. "You've made me very happy as well. Don't forget that."

Sakura smiled inwardly at the words so beautifully said by Fai and by impulse she leaned away from him for a moment before she placed her lips on his once more, making a familiar yet not distant memory present once more. Just then, what was created between the magician and the princess became a lovely red glow in a white heart.

(A/N: This was done all in the spirit of Valentine's Day. Again, Happy (early) Valentine's Day!)