Li Syaoran was feeling distinctly unloved for what had to be the millionth time that day, but the overall feeling was a generally new one. Extensive psychology had failed in the face of his training-filled childhood, so this feeling of being…neglected.
Over something like his birthday, no less.
It wasn't as if he hadn't celebrated. The 'gang' had taken him to a café, they had eaten a cake, sang, given him collectively a ticket to a football game that had been sold out (if he wasn't mistaken, it had 'Daidouji' written all over it). It was just…
Hehadkindawantedsomethingmore. It was his twenty-first birthday. He didn't know much, but it was supposed to be this big, fancy affair. Something like Daidouji's eighteenth.
Okay, maybe not that grand.
*shudder*
His voice had slightly cracked after the one thousand sixty-second guest. Just a little. He still didn't quite get why he had to be introduced as 'Li Syaoran, head of the Li clan'.
And he firmly believed that not seeing another millimetre of pink tulle would be fine, thankyouverymuch.
Maybe it was that he knew that all his friends knew that there were always seats in the Luxury Box for any members of the Li clan. So that ticket was actually moving down the scale.
Or maybe, said that voice we all love to hate, it's because someone seems to be avoiding popping the question? Syaoran scowled, killing a few of the insects whose only fault was existing on the sidewalk he was currently occupying.
He was about to continue when someone tackled him from behind. He immediately pulled whoever it was over his head and down, but was distracted when three others in black charged at him. He elbowed the ones on the sides in the stomach, and then pushed them down. The one in the back would deserve a nice sweeping kick…he blinked when (he? she?) dodged it and grabbed a hold of his leg.
"Procrastinate has resisted capture…moving on to sedatives…" she (as that voice was distinctly feminine) said as she pulled out a needle and jabbed it into his calf. Clenching his teeth and swearing, he immobilized her on the throat (he had hit three women…) and waved his hands over the puncture. And these were his favourite pants, too…
He had just taken care of the sedative when something clenched his magic. As he fell back, he realized the sedative had been nothing but a distraction from an inner binding spell. Which would mean magic…
The last thing he saw before he blacked out was a vast, blue sea…
~*~
"Yes, he's recovering…no, I think letting me talk to him will be enough…" Syaoran blinked, and felt something pull at his eyebrows.
"Shit!" tears sprang to his eyes as hair was yanked out of that sensitive region, "What are you doing?" He focused on the figure approaching…Daidouji?
"Syaoran. Now, if you don't put up a fuss, we won't have to sedate you any more. Eriol informs me that more binds will reduce your ability to speak coherently, and we don't want that, since we seem to be lacking there already. And with the amount of resistance you put up, he says that each bind will take you less and less time to throw off," she continued talking at a fast pace as she held colour squares up to his eyes, and he became acutely aware that he was only wearing a pair of – very small – shorts.
"Daidouji-"
"-Tomoyo."
"Tomoyo, whatever, what the hell did you do? Ow! Why the hell is someone waxing my legs?" Tomoyo clucked, satisfied that the shade of black she was holding suited him fine. Of course, the sane might notice that each shade of black appeared identical to its neighbour…
"It's the new in, masculine spa treatments. Besides, your body consists of something like –20% fat, so anything would look good on you," she walked away, muttering to herself about luminosity and percentage increases of cyan-magenta 293…
"What. The. HELL. Is. Going. On."
"Language, dear descendent…tsk tsk." If anyone could make this worse, it would be him.
"Hiiragizawa, what are you doing here?" Navy blue magic? "Never mind, what am I doing here?"
"You didn't really think your present would be that ticket, did you? Kami-sama, he did. In any case, we decided to set up the perfect scene for your popping the question." Syaoran didn't think to ask how they knew this; the one time he asked Tomoyo if she had any spies, she had cackled evilly and started a major thunderstorm.
"So I had my bodyguard ladies carry out an attempt to bring you in. Obviously that didn't work."
"You sent those dangerous things after me?!" Tomoyo raised an eyebrow and flipped on a TV monitor. There, in what looked like hospital beds, were four of Tomoyo's bodyguards. Syaoran made a mental note to send them some flowers with the Li crest and also figure out how big, exactly, the Daidouji mansion was.
"In their defence, they couldn't bruise you in any way, and I think you did more damage to them than they did to you. So, here you are, and someone get the sedative on hold. I doubt this is going to go on easy…" Her suspicions were proved justified when the double-breasted tuxedo came through the door.
"No. Way. In. He-Heck. I. Am. Wearing. That." Tomoyo laughed.
"No, silly, that's for the conductor of the orchestra. *This* is yours." Syaoran's eyes bugged out when a clay mannequin came out decked in another tuxedo, with so much starch he was sure that the suit was holding the mannequin up, and not the other way around. Cufflinks, bow, shoes, socks…
"Underwear?!" Eriol edged closed to him and whispered.
"Don't mention it…she's a little…" he circled his ear with one finger, and then smiled benignly at his fiancée.
Syaoran came out of the dressing room to a room full of people and…silence. He was about to make some smart comment (uh…he had one…somewhere) when the dressing room broke out into thunderous applause.
"Iie, don't blush! It's doesn't match the suit, and it will make your powder run!" Syaoran's left eye twitched, and reminded himself slowly that he was still definitely a straight male…it helped that he was sure that he loved Sakura a lot…
"Any other villainous plots in my name that I should know of?" Tomoyo pulled out a small notebook.
"Let's see…we have the New York Philharmonic flown in from the States, a limo from some company named Lambourgene-"
"-that's Lamborghini, m'dear-"
"-yes, them, and reservations at some place that overlooks the beach," she looked up at him, "when you go there, careful, a number of people are slightly angry that we closed down the place for the night. But it's a nice, small place, and it received whatnot number of stars-"
"-five star formal dress-"
"-yes, that's nice. And ikebana flowers were done by Midori-sensei, since she wanted to do much…(Eriol muttered something about how she was now the most sought-after flower arranger in all of bloody Asia) But I looked at it, and it looks fine. And I had William Safire go over your engagement speech thing, which you've been mumbling non-stop in your sleep the past week."
"William Safire? (Eriol's eyes bugged out and he muttered something about famous editors of famous papers and bloody lucky Chinese gajins) Never mind."
"I do hope it's enough…Eriol, dear, he's looking a bit shell-shocked. Did you do something?" Syaoran seemed to be recovering his powers of speech slowly.
"Mattemattematte…did you pay for all of this?" At this Tomoyo looked slightly guilty.
"I was going to, but someone got word of it somehow (Eriol muttered about Li clans and the bloody number of sensors out looking for the words 'Li Syaoran'), and I received a check with a death threat if I didn't use it." Syaoran smiled.
"That's a bit better. Does anyone have the time-"
"And speaking of rings (muttered "We weren't"), someone screamed at us for you ("my ears are still ringing") even daring to buy a ring – and sent this over." Syaoran opened a musty maroon box and found a gorgeous slate-blue metal band with a single diamond surrounded by what looked like…opals?
"It was your mother's…and she told me that it was made of metals not of this world. You should see the fuss that the detector made." Syaoran closed the box, confident.
"I'm doing this." He started to walk to the door, secure.
"Syaoran…wrong direction." Ears slightly red, Syaoran turned around and walked out the other door, trailed by both Tomoyo and Eriol. Eriol turned and looked at her.
"Anything else?" Tomoyo smiled (quite evilly) and flipped the page of her notebook.
"Professional video women…my bodyguards, of course, but they're all disguised." Eriol smiled.
"Oh, get his reaction…"
"Syaoran! You're here too?" Syaoran stopped dead.
Someone (and he had very little doubts who) had taken Sakura and transformed her into some sort of…goddess. Her hair was separated into little rolls at the top, and the ends of her hair were curled, as were the tendrils of hair sneaking down her cheek to her neck. And at her neck was a cream band of silk with a large flawless emerald nestled right in the middle, in the exact same shade as her dress…Syaoran's eyes bugged out slightly. The dress started at the emerald, bunched up, and then flowed out in a sort of halter-top, hugging every curve along the way to the petit waist. From there, the silk flowed smoothly into a floor length skirt, and a slit travelled from the middle of her right thigh to the floor, exposing one lace-up black sandal. Sakura noticed him staring and flushed.
"I-is it a bit much?" Syaoran shook his head.
"It looks…no, you look beautiful. Heavenly." Sakura flushed further.
"Arigato." Syaoran smiled.
"Come on, let's go." He held out his hand, which she took. Together, they walked out the door (and the next, and the next, and the next…etc. and finally out the main door) into the limousine.
"Chauffeur and flunkey…Daidouji really went all out, didn't she?" Sakura shook her head, wide eyed.
"Konbawa, gaki. I'll be your driver today." Syaoran clambered backwards…into a seat…as the driver turned on the TV and revealed himself to be none other than Kinomoto Touya.
"Kon…ba…wa 'nii-chan…"
"Matte. Don't tell me the other one…"
"Konbawa, Sakura-chan, Li-kun." Both of them would have fallen over, had not the two of them been subjected to Tomoyo's Dry Clean tirade. Multiple times.
"Konbawa…Yukito-san…" Wisely, the only conversation between the front and the back halted after then, although Syaoran was sure that if the speaker had eyes, (and looks could kill), he'd be dead by now.
~*~
"Here you go, The Petit Champignon. I have your reservations right here, although I doubt that will be necessary, with the lock down on this place. I do suggest you watch out for the angry mobs…" Yukito sweat dropped as Touya stepped out of the car and glared at the angry people, shutting them up and causing a few nervous speeders to receive heavy tickets, "Well, never mind, and have a nice time! Hey, good luck," he patted Syaoran on the back and whispered into his ear. Syaoran nodded, then gulped.
"Thanks."
Syaoran sub-consciously cut up and ate the courses of the meal, his mind running over the manners that a very scary aunt had drilled into him. Elbows off the table! Start from the outside in! Leave your glass full if you want no more! Never leave your chopsticks standing! Never cut more than what you can eat in one bite! He shook his head to clear the last remaining traces of his aunt's voice from his head.
"Enjoying your time? Everything going well?" Syaoran started as Tomoyo's voice started playing in his ear. The table jumped, and the salad got tossed (again).
"Where…where are you?" He could see Sakura looking at him quizzically and he smiled, "in the course of your meal?"
"Almost finished with this salad!" she smiled, and he smiled back.
"What the hell did you do?" He picked up a piece of lettuce and muttered into it.
"It's a speaker in your ear, and a microphone cap on one of your molars." Syaoran sweat dropped.
"Mou…"
~*~
"That was a very good meal!" Syaoran nodded.
"Dessert?"
"Just a little…"
"Chocolate cake with chocolate filling and shaved chocolate on top!" As they sat in comfortable silence, the orchestra began a slow, different tune. Syaoran smiled.
"Dance?"
"Oh…I…can't dance…"
"I'll show you." Getting up, he pulled back her chair for her. Leading her onto the dance floor, he placed one hand on her waist and took the other in his hand. Concentrating on not heating up, he started counting.
"One-two-three. One-two-three." Soon enough she got the hang of it, and he began to add flourishes. Twist, twirl, in…he squeezed her in a semi-hug as she spun in quite delicately. He almost wished Tomoyo were here; this moment wouldn't last.
As the dance ended, she let go and placed her hands at her sides, laughing and smiling in mirth. Syaoran smiled back, a fresh wave of confidence restored to him. She would definitely say yes, there was no doubt about it. He was going to ask now.
Okay, now.
Now?
Yup, he was going to do this.
A-ny moment now…
He shook his head and fingered the box in his pocket. Suddenly the orchestra faded to a tremor and the lights dimmed, small spotlights illuminating the couple and the decorations of cherry blossoms circling them. Sakura turned around, looking at it with wonder.
"Now!" the voice squeaked in his ear and he jumped slightly, "Do it now!" Syaoran took a deep breath. Lowering himself to one knee and pulling out the rind box before Sakura could turn fully around, he cleared his throat. She looked at him, and noticed. A hand flew to her mouth, and tears sprang to her eyes.
"Sakura…" he semi-froze. His speech! His mind went blank. The speaker in his ear squawked again.
"We've been together…" his mind started saying his speech…again…
"We've been together for over seven years, which is more than some married couples can say nowadays. Over these seven years, I've watched you grow from a small, genki girl into a smart, headstrong, genki onna. I've stopped your tears, I've experienced your laughs, and I've shared your smiles. You're a part of me, and I couldn't live without that part. It's grown on me, and I'd like to see it grow more through time.
"And so, Kinomoto Sakura, it would give me the greatest honour if you would be my wife. Will you marry me?" Sakura took her hand away from her mouth and blinked hard a couple of times.
"Syaoran…I'm sorry, but…no. Hoe! Honey? He fainted!" Sakura dropped to her knees and shook him, hard. After a moment or two, he opened his eyes.
"Kami-sama, I just had the worst nightmare. I got kidnapped and dressed up and we both came to this restaurant where…" he looked around, and his eyes opened wide, "It's true." Turning to Sakura he smiled with great effort.
"Hey, that's okay. I don't mind. Well, actually I do, and I though that you might say yes, but if not, that's peachy with me." He was about to put away the ring when she placed her hand over his.
"Syaoran…no…" she took a deep breath, "BAKA!" She womped him on the head, hard.
"Oi! Nani?!"
"Li Syaoran no baka, of course! Yes!" Syaoran stood there for a second, shocked.
"Wh...at?"
"Denser than I am…he's mad! Of course I would say yes!" Syaoran smiled and put the ring onto her finger. He stood up, pulling her up with him, and placed his lips on hers. The orchestra burst into what could be described as orderly chaos, and a few more candles were lit, paving the way out the back and onto a cliff overlooking the ocean. Sakura and Syaoran walked out, not noticing the camera crew following.
Sakura sat against her boyfriend-no, fiancée – she could definitely get used to that – and examined her ring over and over again. She turned up and looked at him.
"Ano, happy birthday koishii." Syaoran smiled as she fell asleep in his lap.
~*~
Tomoyo clicked her video camera off and sighed.
"Oh, that was so romantic…" she turned to Eriol, a Look on her face, "Now explain to me why you've been in a grumpy mood all day." Eriol smiled, leaning in towards her, but she put her hand up in front of his advances. "Uh-uh. I get an answer first." Dejected, Eriol sat down.
"BecauseSyaorandiditallromanticandididn't."
"What?" Eriol took a deep breath before continuing.
"Because he got to do it all romantic like and…and you deserved more." Tomoyo laughed and play-punched him in the chest.
"Koishii…just as every bride is beautiful on her wedding day, every proposal is the best to the one who received it. Eriol no baka, how dare you think I'd be that selfish? Just for that, I'm letting 'kaa-san arrange the whole wedding!" Eriol blanched.
"No…Tomoyo…onegai…" Tomoyo laughed.
"Of course I wouldn't!"
"-arigato, kami-sama-"
"-I'm doing it myself!" Eriol looked up.
"You hate me. If this is punishment for helping my daughter, I swear I'll become evil from now on!" *pause* "Wait, does that make sense?" Tomoyo giggled.
"I don't think we've seen what's on the third page of my notebook, have we? Here it is. Could that read two weeks on a cruise ship? I don't think so…" Eriol made to grab the notebook.
"You booked what?!" Tomoyo pulled out two tickets and waved it in front of him.
"Two tickets, V.I.P, on a cruise to a place called Hawai'i (Eriol muttered about Daidouji and money can buy anything) and it's leaving day after tomorrow." Eriol smiled and pulled her closer to him.
"I really love you, even without Hawai'i and whatnot." She smiled and planted a kiss on his lips.
"I know."
And destiny closed the curtain of light with a satisfied sigh.
~* FINI *~
AN: And that's Happy Belated Birthday Syaoran! If you notice, Sakura is older than Syaoran, so I made him be born a year earlier. On the other hand, Eriol is older than Tomoyo by a good number of months.
Now, I'll actually get to work on the rest of the things that I have to do…*mumbles in a rather Eriol-esque style*
Ja ne until next time!
wicherwill ^_^