Well, here's a fic i promised my friend Icy-chan for something...( i looked over the message, and i can't even figure out the reason for my sudden 'i'll write a fic for you!' and i'm the one who said it...oi...)

it's AU (she didn't give me a lot of rules for this, so i'm gonna kinda go with it) and it'll be a KuroMoyo. yay! XD uh..i'll shut up now.

ENJOY, READERS!

She remembers the first time she met him. She knows that he does, too, just as clearly as she does (if not moreso), even if he won't admit it.

She was about six (almost seven, but that was a different argument for later) and she was protecting her life-long friend and cousin Sakura from one of the neighbor hood bullies (actually, the only bully that seemed to have a problem with Sakura). He was tugging on Sakura's hair (it had been long then) and as she grabbed his hand to stop him, he moved to push her away. A kid on a scooter stopped right next to the group and as the bully raised his hand, the kid's arm went out so fast, she never saw it coming. As the bully backed away and glared at him, rubbing his sore cheek, he glared right back, his fist back at his side. She held Sakura's hand as she stared at the new arrival with a scared look on her face.

"Didn't your mom ever tell you it's not nice to hit girls?" The kid accused, still glaring at the other. The boy shrugged. "Well, it's not. And if you touch either one of them again, I'll beat you up." He threatened. The bully's glare disappeared at the look of seriousness on the other boy's face and he backed away before turning and running home. The boy turned to them, and Sakura hid behind her. The glare faded from his eyes. "Are you girls all right?"

"Yes." She replied. Then she plunged ahead. "I'm Tomoyo. This is my friend Sakura. We're both six." He smirked.

"Kurogane. I'm eight." Tomoyo pouted.

"Well, I'm almost seven." She pointed out.

"But you're not seven---you're six. And seven is still younger than eight." Kurogane pointed out. Tomoyo let go of Sakura's arm and crossed her own.

"So?" She asked. He laughed.

"I'll be older than you no matter what age you are." He said. Tomoyo opened her mouth to retort.

"Kurogane!" He turned his head. A woman with black hair was standing on a porch, waving. "It's time to come home now and eat dinner. Your dad is here already."

"Coming, Mama!" He called back. Kurogane turned to the other two girls. "I gotta go now. Maybe I'll see you guys later." As Sakura and Tomoyo said goodbye, he pushed away on his scooter, going right up to the house and then running inside, leaving the scooter out on the lawn.

After that, it was always the three of them---Kurogane, Sakura, and Tomoyo. He was invited to her seventh birthday party (and he came---dropping several water balloons on both girls, drenching the both of them. Tomoyo had pouted and threw cake and ice cream at his head when he wasn't looking. It had been funny until her mother came and scolded her). They were always playing together in the neighborhood, and he would take them home when his mother told him to.

When school started, things were a little different. He, of course, was older and was in third grade while the two girls were in second. He made lots of friends, and they all started hanging out with the three of them. Tomoyo never complained, but she liked it better when it was just her, Sakura, and Kurogane. One of his friends was better than the others---a blonde boy named Fai. He was always laughing, calling Kurogane different variations of his name (and each time he did, Kurogane came up with new ways to kill him. His threats never did anything to Fai, merely encouraged him to continue calling him by more ridiculous names). Tomoyo liked him a little better than the others (for example, Kamui was just rude, and Subaru, though nice, seemed a bit of a pushover and always did what Kamui told him to. Both were into blood, which kinda freaked Tomoyo out).

One day she came over with Sakura to find Kurogane's home a mess. With wide eyes, she told Sakura to stay by the door as she walked inside, calling for Kurogane. She was about to give up (it was hard walking over things---everything had been knocked over and things were broken all over the floor) when she heard crying. Gaining courage, she walked towards the back of the house and found Kurogane and his mother.

"Kurogane..." She called softly. He looked at her with a wild look in his eyes and she saw that he was sitting down, his mother in his lap. Tomoyo looked at her and put a hand over her mouth, closing her eyes as tears started up. Kurogane's mother had been killed, and Tomoyo looked at the floor, trying to erase the image from her mind.

"Come on, Moyo, we gotta get you outta here." Kurogane's voice came from next to her so suddenly her eyes opened and she stared at him, shaking. He attempted a smile for her and grabbed her hand, leading her back out of the house.

That had been about nine years ago, Tomoyo mused, leaning on her desk and staring out the window, completely ignoring the teacher as she went on about whatever it was they were learning. The bell rang, signaling lunch, and she jumped up, grabbing her bag and leaving the room quickly. In fact, she was going so fast that she almost ran into Kurogane.

"Hey!" He yelled, grabbing her shoulders to keep her from slamming into him. She beamed up at him.

"Thank you, Kurogane!" She called. A girl with short black hair tapped her shoulder, gaining her attention. "Hm? Souma-san?"

"Tomoyo-san, you left this in the room." She held out a black notebook and Tomoyo took it.

"Thanks!"

"Oi, let's go!" Kurogane muttered, grabbing a lock of Tomoyo's long black hair and tugging it. She yelped lightly (it actually didn't hurt---she liked watching Souma yell at Kurogane. She was one of the few females besides herself and Sakura that didn't cower under Kurogane's stare). Kurogane rolled his eyes. "You big baby."

"Hey, don't talk to Tomoyo-san like that!" Souma yelled. "It's not nice. And you shouldn't pull her hair!" Kurogane glared at Souma over Tomoyo.

"She doesn't mind, and I don't care what you say. I don't have to listen to you." Souma's eyes widened and her hands balled into fists. Tomoyo laughingly stopped Souma.

"You guys, don't argue! It doesn't matter. Come on, Kurogane, let's go eat. Sakura-chan, Li-kun, and Fai-san are probably waiting for us." She waved at Souma. "I'll see you later, Souma-san." She waved at Tomoyo, but kept glaring at Kurogane.

"Bye, Tomoyo-san." As they walked away, Tomoyo glanced at Kurogane.

"You don't have to be so mean to Souma-san." She said. Kurogane shrugged.

"She can't tell me what to do." He replied. Tomoyo giggled, but inwardly paled at the thought.

"Do you like her, Kurogane?" Kurogane looked horrified, turning a bright red as he spluttered. Tomoyo laughed. "I'm just kidding, Kurogane! Calm down."

"Just kidding about what, Tomoyo-chan?" Fai asked, appearing suddenly and throwing an arm around the smaller girl. Kurogane glared at him but he ignored him in favor of leaning down and whispering theatrically in her ear. "Is it about the upcoming dance?" Tomoyo laughed.

"Of course not, Fai-san! But, now that you bring it up, are you going to go?" Fai nodded happily and Tomoyo beamed. "That's great! Did you ask anybody?" Fai shook his head.

"I have...one person I want to ask, but..." Tomoyo smiled.

"Then ask her, silly!" Fai shrugged.

"I don't think she wants to go with me. Besides, I think Selena-chan has a boyfriend already." He laughed. "But, Sakura-chan is going with Syaoran-kun!"

"Isn't that the one match you never saw coming?" Tomoyo laughed, looking at Kurogane. He shrugged. Fai tilted his head at Tomoyo curiously. Tomoyo explained quickly. "Li-kun used to tease Sakura-chan merciliessly. That's why Touya-kun hates him so. But he stopped when we were six, because Kurogane threatened to beat him up if he kept doing it." Fai laughed.

"Big Puppy's so mean!" He said, reaching up to pat Kurogane's head. Kurogane scowled.

"I thought I told you to knock it off with that!" He yelled. Fai's eyes widened and he took off down the hall way.

"WAIII!!!! KURO-MIN'S GONNA GET MEEEEEEEE~3" He screamed. The kids in his path moved out of his way, already used to the blonde idiot's antics. Kurogane sighed.

"Stupid mage." He muttered. Tomoyo laughed.

"Are you going to go to the dance, Kurogane?" She asked, looking at the taller male. Kurogane shrugged. "You should. It'll be your last dance in high school."

"I don't have a date." Kurogane muttered. Tomoyo sighed.

"You could go with Souma-san." She said. Kurogane stared at her as if she went insane. "What? It's a suggestion."

"Who're you going with?" He asked. Tomoyo sighed again.

"Eriol-kun asked me several times." Kurogane frowned.

"When was this? I don't remember that." Tomoyo laughed.

"You aren't in my class, Kurogane." He nodded at that and glared at the wall. Tomoyo noticed this and stopped, putitng her hand on Kurogane's arm to stop him as well. He looked at her. "What's wrong, Kurogane?"

"Nothing." Tomoyo raised an eyebrow and Kurogane shook his head. "It's nothing, I swear."

"I know you aren't trying to pull that on me, of all people, Kurogane." Tomoyo stated, semi-serious. "I know you too well." She seemed to figure it out and she smiled lightly. "I told him no each time, Kurogane. I wanted to see if..." She turned slightly red. "I wanted to see if I was asked by someone else." Kurogane frowned.

"Who?" She shrugged and turned, walking backwards.

"Not important. But...this is!" She insisted. "I need to know who you're going to go with, so I can get her measurements to make her a dress. Then, she'll look absolutely gorgeous while I video record the whole thing!" She turned around again, walking normally. "Of course, I need to make Sakura-chan a dress as well, and record her and Li-kun."

"Don't you ever get tired of following Sakura and the kid around with a camera, Tomoyo?" Kurogane asked.

"Of course not!" Tomoyo said, eyes wide. "I've made it my top priority to record all of Sakura-chan's important moments, and make her outfits so that she can shine and look her best in all of them!" She looked at Kurogane with sparkles in her eyes. "Of course, a dance is the most important thing, and since I have all of Sakura-chan's measurements memorized, I can get to making her dress right away! It's going to have to be exceptionally pretty, and it'll be one of a kind! OH HOHOHOHOHOHOHOHOHOHOHOHOHO!" Tomoyo laughed. Kurogane sweatdropped and pulled her down the hall. For some reason, she reminded him of some other crazy woman and it scared him.