MS

It was an important question. And each silent second that turned into endless minutes just had his heart brittling and decaying. Maybe it would have been nice to remain oblivious.

Disclaimer: I do not own any of the CCS characters.

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Would You

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It was that time again.

After spending the last two weeks in the constant company of each other, it was time to part. Syaoran rubbed the back of his head, his fingers running through his bangs, as a silent Sakura fussed over his jacket.

His ears could only hear her words as everything else around them stayed in the background forgotten and in-obstructive. It wasn't anything of particular importance, but the sound of her voice managed to bring a smile to his lips every time.

Sakura placed her hand on his neck, straightening the collar and not letting go as Meiling dragged away a squealing Tomoyo who had a camcorder at the ready to record the scene. The couple needed their privacy before they both boarded the plane that would take them home.

"You will take care of yourself, right?" she asked him, her hands still grasping his collar as they both swore they looked like candy canes with the high blushes they both possessed.

"I should be the one asking that question," Syaoran replied coarsely, his throat constricting as he felt the need to cry. He could hold it in though, this wasn't goodbye. It was a farewell just like last time. They would be in constant communication every day.

"I," Sakura gulped down the knot that was forming in her chest, hoping to not make a spectacle of herself while the boy she loved got on his plane. "I want to see you as soon as possible." She almost cried out before burying her face into his shirt and wrapping her arms around his waist. "I don't want you to be gone for long."

Syaoran didn't know how to respond. True, in the last few days that they had been in each other's company they had come into contact in numerous occasions, but this one was different. He could feel her tears as she pressed her face all the way into his chest. It made him recall the time that he had comforted her in the park when she had confessed her feelings to Yukito, but this one different.

He was the one that was causing her to cry. This was too different from the last time they had parted company. This time they had already spent endless days holding hands, blushing at each other while smiling just because they were at close proximity. They had already held each other for hours on end an inhaled each other's scent.

"I don't want to either," his tone sincere as he enveloped her in his arms. His words were true, but circumstances could always get in the way. In the end, he was only 11 years old and he had been gone far enough. There was much he needed to be taught about the family history as well as the magical objects that graced the world.

He had been pulled off a retrieval mission when it had been known that the book of clow had been opened and taken priority. Things weren't as easy as others might think.

An idea sparked inside. What if? What if things would be changed just a bit if he couldn't accomplish what he had promised? Would she also give a little if it came to that?

"Sakura," he gained her attention, her eyes still glassy but smiling at him. "If it came to it, would you comme live in Hong Kong with me?"

Syaoran didn't know really how he had expected her to react. It was the lack of reaction that maybe started the spiral inside his chest. She was just staring at him blankly, not truly understanding what he had said.

"There's a chance that I might not be able to come here to live indefinitely Sakura," Syaoran had to explain that there was an off chance that they would not approve of him returning. He had obligations within his clan.

"I have obligations that might keep me in Hong Kong for years," he took a deep breath before saying it in concrete terms. "Would you be adverse to going to Hong Kong if I couldn't get away?"

He still was not prepared for the silent seconds that turned into endless minutes of her steady gaze that looked right through him. She wasn't moving at all. If it wasn't for the slight rise of her chest, he would have been thinking that she hadn't even taken a breath.

He couldn't process anything but the phrase he had heard those weeks before after they had dealt with the card's problem. Those words had gone straight to his heart as he had opened his arms to receive her as she threw herself at him.

I love you Syaoran, you're my number one, kept going again and again in his mind. He thought he would never need anything else to feel happy. He had been wrong. He also needed the reassurance that she thought of him as deeply as he thought of her. Just liking the idea of love wasn't enough if you weren't also prepared to give something for that love.

He was prepared to go against his family, his clan, the respect he had always tried to claim within their circle just for her. He was also prepared to go against everything he had always wanted to just be near her. But, could she say the same for him?

His heart constricted again and again in his chest, falling into brittle pieces as time continued to flow but she kept her mouth shut. He grimaced, the call for his flight coming into the speakers. He shouldn't have gone with the impulse to ask. Sometimes it was better not to know.

"I'm sorry," he smiled, the muscles in his face straining as he kept any other emotion from both his tone and expression. He pulled away, taking a step backwards so that he could join Meiling and get out of her range as soon as he could. If he stayed in place before her he might humiliate himself in front of all these people.

"I shouldn't have asked you that," he fidgeted with his jacket, placing it into place before turning and scrambling out of her presence. "It was pretty stupid of me."

He hadn't taken a step away when he was dragged into a stop. Sakura had cried out as he moved away from her, her own thoughts returning to reality. "Syaoran!" she cried out as she placed all of her weight to keep him in place so he could not move.

"You're not stupid," she cringed at the shrill tone in her own voice as she felt him stiffen from contact. "I'm the stupid one."

"Don't ever refer to yourself like that Sakura," he scolded her. "You're the most amazing girl I have ever known."

"That doesn't mean that it is easy for me to learn my lessons in school, or be truthful to myself when there are things at stake that have to do with matters of the heart."

She gave away when she felt him turning, pushing upwards to impulsively place her lips on his own. Her mind barely registered the high squeal coming from a corner before she felt his arms come around her shoulders and keep her in place.

This was their first kiss, and as such the world seized to matter while their warmth and contact intertwined without thought. Sakura felt herself melting as she felt his lips with hers. They felt soft and velvety. A hint of innocence radiating from the couple as other people passed them by marveling at the cute kids.

"I might take my time answering at some things," she murmured against his neck as she hid her blushing face from him at her boldness just moments before. "But if you are willing to try your best, then so am I."

"Does that mean that you would also come to live with me if it came to that?"

"Yes," she didn't need to say anymore. The simple answer was all that was needed. She meant it too, Syaoran was sure of that. Sakura would never say anything she didn't mean.

"I love you," he couldn't believe it was that easy for him to say that. It was bursting inside of him though, so he had no choice but to say it. Her embrace got stronger by a degree at hearing his words. She had known how he felt, just like he did in turn for her. But she had never thought that hearing his words would be imperative and might become as addictive as breathing.

"Say it again," she wanted to be sure that she had heard him right. Her demand was met with a conspiring grin as he nuzzled her side before pressing his lips against the tip of her ear. Her breathless words had lifted his spirits to new heights. He was sure he was floating high in the sky and he wouldn't need to take a plane to go back to his home.

"I love you," they each whispered at the same time before a madly giggling Meiling apologetically broke them apart and started taking him away.

"I'll try my hardest to return as soon as possible," he shouted back to her as Sakura waved to him. There was a shining light coming from her figure, a heavenly light that took his breath away. She was happy, there was nothing else that could be used to describe it. "I promise."

"Whatever happens," she shouted back as they entered the terminal. "I'll be waiting for you."

It was true. Now, whatever happened, they were always sure that they could cope with it in some way. Even if they were denied being together for whatever reason, they would find a way to get over the hurdle. Be it him or her, they would try to figure it out.


I go this idea last night before bed so it kind of twisted a bit until I could get it down on paper. Good ideas always come at that time... thanks for reading. Hopefully you enjoyed it enough to leave a comment and such.

I'm writing the second part of Shirtless at the moment and may have it done by tomorrow or Sunday, expect it around then. There are also other one shots coming to fruition so things are still being developed. Thanks for reading...

MS

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