(A/N: ...Yes, I'm the writer of Take Two. Yes, I should be getting around to updating it. Yes, I left it on a cliffhanger.)

(...Yes, I was possessed by the plot bunnies.)

(And yes, I wrote this... in February. And am only posting it now.)

T.S.U.N.D.E.R.E
l.c. li

Syaoran was not used to receiving presents.

Much less young brunettes with sparkling emerald eyes and a bag of hard candy.

"Eriol," he said flatly into his cell phone a few minutes later. "What the flippin' Clow is a girl doing on my doorstep?"

"I asked what you wanted for Christmas and you said 'a girlfriend,'" Eriol said plainly.

"I was joking! And how did you get this poor girl to agree?"

"She's a good friend of Tomoyo's and thought you were hot." Syaoran could practically see his cousin shrugging on the other side of the call. "I'm busy. Sorry. Gotta go."

"Eriol...!"

Beep.

"...Dang it!"

::-::

He made sure her room was as far away from his as possible. An easy feat, considering that he lived in a mansion with a hundred rooms.

"Your cleaning lady must have one heck of a job," was the only comment the girl—Sakura, or something—made as she entered the house.

Syaoran only slid his hands through his hair, mentally bemoaning his fate. "Really, why are you here?"

Sakura stared at him with wide eyes. Such a wonderful shade of green... Wait, what? Snap out of it, Syaoran!

"Isn't this gonna be my job?" Sakura asked curiously. "Mr. Hiiragizawa said I was going to babysit a little boy. I think his name was Syaoran..."

...DANG IT, ERIOL!

::-::

The awkward truth came out at dinner that night.

"I'm sorry," Syaoran mumbled. "I had no clue he would go this far."

"N-no, it's—I should have—" Sakura clasped her hands in her lap. "I-I should leave then, shouldn't I?"

"Do you have anywhere to go?" Syaoran asked. Wait. Why do I care? She's an adult. She can take care of herself.

"Er..." Sakura looked hesitant. "Actually, um... This is the first job I've been able to land in a long time, so..." She saw his questioning expression and hurried to explain. "Not that I'm a bad worker or anything, I actually like to work hard, and it's just that with this economy and everything, not that I'm living in a shack or anything, I'm okay, I'm not starving..."

So she was essentially broke.

"I guess you can stay here as long as you work for it," Syaoran said, making sure his voice was carefully distant.

Sakura leapt from her seat, eyes sparkling. "Really? Seriously? Oh my gosh! I can't thank you enough! I am seriously forever in your debt. What should I do first? Cleaning? Cooking?"

Syaoran almost laughed. Almost. "We have cooks and a cleaning staff."

Sakura slumped, but only slightly. "I see... Well, definitely let me know if there's anything I can do. I want to earn my keep."

"Not a problem."

It's not until later when he realizes that he, with his extensive resources and such, could have just found her a job.

He was truly an idiot.

::-::

A week passed before he received an interesting call.

"Hello, Syaoran Li speak—"

"Listen, buster. I didn't offer my best friend to be Li's girlfriend! I thought she was going to get an actual job. The only reason I haven't wrung your neck yet is because she specifically told me not to! But look, the moment that Li makes one wrong move, I'm dragging her out by the ear if I have to! And you! Don't even get me started on you... Since you gother into this mess I'll punish you even more than Li!"

Beep.

...What. The. Heck?

His phone rang again. The same number. Syaoran picked it up, this time fearfully.

"Er... Yes?"

"You said this was Syaoran Li?" The girl at the other end sounded incredibly sheepish.

"Uh... Yeah."

"Eh... S-sorry. Wrong number. I'm, uh, Tomoyo Daidouji. That message was, uh, meant for Eriol."

"...I see. So I'm... in danger?"

"Er... Well... Only if you do my beloved Sakura-chan harm! In that case, you must watch out! I will grate your skin with a toothpick! I will pull out your teeth with barbecue tongs! I will tie your lips together with broken guitar strings! I will—"

Beep.

He was the one to hang up this time.

Just what've I gotten myself into...?

::-::

He was running out of things for her to do.

For the first month, he had her run errands. "Pick up the groceries", "get the mail", "recommend good books for me to read"... But now he had a different servant doing that, and he didn't know what she should do.

He was contemplating asking her to scrub the bathroom floor with a toothbrush (jokingly, of course, but knowing her she'd actually do it) when she came into his study.

"Er... Sorry to be bothering you, but is there something I can do?" she asked. "I don't feel like I'm doing enough to be in a nice place like this."

A billion different things fluttered across Syaoran's mind, each of them ridiculous.

Watch every episode of Sesame Street and write a recap for each one.

Rob a bank in Canada.

Move each of the Great Pyramids by hand.

Go out with me.

Wait.

What?

Where had that one come from? He had no feelings for her. At least, nothing beyond mutual acceptance. It's not like he liked her or anything.

The obvious conclusion: He must be going crazy.

"Find me a therapist," he told her curtly, and turned back to his work.

::-::

He woke in the middle of the night to crashing thunder and pounding rain.

His breath was short, his sheets sweaty, his body shaking. His only thought was to hide under his blankets until it was all over. Call it a childish fear, but he could swear the house was rocking back and forth on its foundation from the harsh winds.

Was that his door opening?

Ah, it was just Sakura; pale, trembling, in her floral, cap-sleeved nightgown.

"S-Syaoran..." She bit back a blush. "I shouldn't—I mean, I—I thought I heard you screaming..."

Screaming? He screamed in his sleep? Why had no one informed him of this before?

"I... I think you were just asleep though. I'm... I'm glad you're alright." She drew back through the doorway. "I'll... I'll see you tomorrow."

"Wait."

He didn't know what possessed him to say that. All he knew was that he needed to get rid of these nighttime demons, and fast.

"Stay," he said wearily. Thunder crashed; he hid his face in his pillow.

"Syaoran? Are you... scared of storms?"

He said nothing and looked up, expecting her to mock him, but was taken aback at the expression on her face. Her eyes were soft and her expression concerned. He found his ready denial dying in his throat.

"...Yes," he admitted.

She seemed surprised, yet pleased, at his honesty. She cautiously walked to his bed and gently pulled his head on her shoulder, stroking his back.

The next day, the maids gossiped about how the 'babysitter' had her room moved from the opposite side of the mansion to the room right next to Syaoran's.

No longer was anyone awoken due to midnight storms.

But he still didn't like her or anything.

::-::

"Well, cousin? How's your girlfriend?"

Syaoran nearly spit out a mouthful of tea. "G-girlfriend? She's my employee, Eriol!"

"Oh really?"

"Well... duh. It's not like I like her or anything."

"Hmm... Those are often the famous last words, cousin," Eriol said, his tone strange.

Dang it, Eriol. You had to go and say that.

...And now I can't stop thinking how nice it would be if she were my girlfriend.

::-::

Ring ring.

Beep.

"Hello, Syaoran Li sp—"

"ERIOL HIIRAGIZAWA! YOU, MONSIEUR, HAVE SOME EXPLAINING TO DO!"

Not again...

"Did you just say my dear and lovely cousin had her room moved right next to Li's? No! I shan't allow it! She is too innocent, too pure! She is like the finest premier ice cream, and he is like the demented offspring of sloppy mud and high-fat chocolate! I will not let her be tainted with the presence of that... that thing!"

"...Thing?"

"...Li? L-Li! O-oh dear... I got the wrong number again, didn't I?"

"...Yes. I'm beginning to find it quite amusing, honestly. Eriol's and my name aren't even close. E and S?"

"Well, uh, I have Eriol listed as 'Stupid-kun' so you're right beneath him..."

"Ah. As Syaoran?"

"What? No. As 'Stupid-kun II', of course!"

...Right. Obviously.

"So, are the rumors true?" Tomoyo's voice suddenly became cold. "Is Sakura-chan's room really right next to yours?"

"Well, yes, but I'm not gonna do anything. It's just—she's just—I don'tlike her like that, you know."

"...Good. You know, you'd be dead meat by now if Sakura didn't li—"

Then the line went dead. Syaoran shook his phone, tried calling her back, but it was all to no avail.

Didn't what? Didn't WHAT?

::-::

His own awareness came on the weekend.

She'd wanted to cook for him for some while (Kami knows why) so that dinner, he let her take control of the kitchen and gave a brief vacation to his cooking staff.

Only around ten minutes in her cooking, she encountered a slight... problem.

"Syaoran-kun?" she asked, coming into his study.

"Hm?" he asked. (He pretended to be distracted, but he was actually focused on her the moment she came through the door.)

"I need a strainer..."

"Isn't it in the kitchen?"

"Well, yes, but..." She shuffled. "It's on the top shelf."

Syaoran gave a sigh. "So you can't reach it."

"Er..." Sakura shuffled.

"Say no more." Syaoran got up from his desk and followed her to the kitchen.

It was as she said; the strainer was on the top shelf. Syaoran made a mental note to interrogate the cooking staff on their choice of organization. Who put such commonly used items like strainers on the top shelf? Not that he minded. It meant he had an excuse to be with Sakura. To supervise her work, of course.

She reached for it, but her fingers were a hair shy of grasping it, even on tiptoes.

Syaoran, being six inches taller than she, easily plucked it from the shelf and began to hand it to her when he noticed something very disconcerting.

He was close to her.

Very, very close.

Her head was snuggled beneath the crook of his neck, and one of his arms came around her slender build, resting on the chrome tabletop in front of her. He essentially had her pinned between his body and the counter.

For a moment, he simply froze, unable to move. He couldn't deny how nice she felt in his arms. And what was that scent in her hair? Cherries? He loved cherries. Cherries were amazing. Cherries were the quintessential fruit of the world. Cherries were—

Kami, he needed a therapist. And fast.

"U-um... Syaoran? I, uh, kinda need the strainer..."

He quickly broke away from her, heart going a mile a minute, and thrust the strainer at her. "H-here."

She took it from him, her face very pink.

Dinner that night tasted a little funny, but because Sakura had cooked it, Syaoran didn't mind. Purely because he was glad to give her something to do, of course.

::-::

Shortly after the kitchen incident, Eriol returned from his business in Kyushu and was staying in Osaka until his next trip in a month. Until then, he was to stay with Syaoran (much to Syaoran's reluctance).

Since his arrival, Eriol had taken a liking to doing two activities: 1) visiting Tomoyo, and 2) playing the matchmaker.

And it was working.

Syaoran cursed his latest stunt: Locking him and Sakura together in a very cramped closet. Didn't they realize he wasn't in high school anymore? He had work to do! And so did Sakura! Besides, it wasn't like he'd take advantage of her or anything. Even if she was wearing a really pretty sundress. Even if her soft hair was against his cheek. Even if she still smelled of cherries.

No. The sundress was gaudy. Her hair was... not any softer than his pillow or anything. And cherries? He hated cherries. He... loathed...

Oh, who am I kidding.

His heart was pumping so hard that he felt it would burst out of his chest. A strange mixture of boiling hot and icy cold tingled all over his body. And Sakura was looking up at him. Through long lashes. With her stunning green eyes.

Don't kiss her. Don't kiss her. Don't kiss her.

It's not like you like her or anything.

Kami, he was an idiot.

"Syaoran?" Sakura whispered, her warm breath running along his neck.

"Uh... yeah?" Why was it so hot in here?

"Uh... Th-thanks for the other day. You know, with the strainer."

"Oh. No problem." And she just had to mention the single time where he practically hugged her.

Syaoran swore to install an air conditioner in every single one of his closets.

"S-Syaoran..."

The sound of his name from her lips was making him lose control. He turned away, keeping the mantra in his head: Don't kiss her. Don't kiss her. Don't kiss her.

"I, uh, was just wondering... Um, do you have a girlfriend?"

What.

WHAT DID SHE JUST ASK.

"I mean, um, I don't. Have one. Not a girlfriend, I mean, a boyfriend. I don't have a boyfriend. I don't have a girlfriend, either. Um, yeah. I don't know. I was just, uh, curious."

"No," he said slowly, trying and failing miserably to keep his tone aloof. "I don't have a girlfriend."

"Oh." Brief silence. He couldn't see her expression in the darkness. "Do you have a boyfriend...?"

"What? No!"

"Oh. That's a relief." A pause. "I mean, uh, just because, um, you know, I'm working for you, and I wouldn't want anyone jealous of me just because I—"

"It's fine," he said curtly, and sought for a way to break the flippin' door open.

Only... Eriol opened the door, surprise on his face.

"Syaoran! Sakura! What are you doing in a closet... Together?"

Sakura only turned red, but Syaoran felt a wave of rage wash over him. "Oh, you know very well what we were doing!"

Eriol gasped. "Really? Were you... doing what I think you were?"

"NOT LIKE THAT! You're the one who trapped us in there!"

"Me? However could I?"

"Eriol...!"

Sakura sensed the impending threat and hightailed it out of there. The moment she was gone, Eriol spoke, his voice strangely serious.

"Didn't you say you didn't like her?"

And he left Syaoran there, starstruck and unable to move. Because he couldn't deny it anymore.

He was in love with Sakura Kinomoto.

::-::

"Hellooo, Stupid-kun II!"

"...Hello, Daidouji. Is this a good time?"

"Not particularly, but I'll manage. What's wrong?"

He was going to ask how she knew something was up... until he realized that it was obvious. Why else would he be calling her?

"Does..." Just cut to the chase. "Does Sakura like me?"

"Well, of course. Why else would she bother to stay as your emplo—"

"Daidouji." Weren't girls supposed to be sharp when it came to these things? "Does Sakura like me?"

Tomoyo took a sharp breath. "You mean... Oh, Stupid-kun! You've fallen in love with her!"

"Well... yeah." No use denying it now.

He could practically hear her beam as she spoke. "How wonderful! How glorious! You know, you really are quite dense. I knew you would be perfect together the moment I saw you!"

Daidouji, you've never seen me...

"How splendid! This calls for... a new dress! Ohohohoho! I can see it already... Pink, with white lace and maroon ribbons, and ruffles! Oh, I should make a matching suit for you! Deep red, with amber elements here and there—it's going to be perfect!"

Daidouji, for the love of Clow, would you just answer the question?

"Oh, but what about the fabrics? I expect silk for Sakura, since her personality just screams 'SILK!' but what of you? You don't seem like the silk kind of guy. More like satin, or velour. But I don't know how to make you match if one is silk and the other is velour. Oh, dear..."

Daidouji.

"You know what? I'll try it. Velour will suit you. And silk is always becoming for Sakura. But now a hairpiece... Should I make her a hat? Ohh! A French imitation beret! Aha! Perfect!"

DAIDOUJI.

"And yes, Stupid-kun, she does. Like you, that is. Hmm... Do you think you would look good in a top hat?"

Wait.

WHAT?

"She... does?" Syaoran asked stupidly.

"Top hat... Yes, I could see that working. Especially with velour. I might have to change it to a suit with a tailcoat though... Shouldn't be a problem!"

"H-how much does she like me?" It was a dumb question, but hey, she did have his name down as 'Stupid-kun' in her phone. It wasn't like her perception of him could get any worse.

"How much? Ohh, she's always gushing about you! It's quite adorable. She's got quite the hots for you. Funny, she's usually dense when it comes to guys, but this time she's really—oh no! Roses? What was I thinking? I need tulips!"

Beep.

Syaoran only stared at the phone in his hands, certain that a very goofy, very stupid grin was transfixed on his face.

But he found he didn't care.

::-::

He spent a week wondering how to tell her.

With roses? A candlelit dinner? A ring? No, scratch the ring. She'd think he was proposing, and that would be weird. Not that he wouldn't mind doing so in the future...

Focus, Li.

"Just tell her."

Syaoran started, whirling about in his chair, brandishing his executive ballpoint pen, only to see Eriol standing in the doorway of his study.

"What?" he asked.

"Just tell her," Eriol repeated. "You're in love with her, right? Just go out to the garden, say, 'I'm in love with you' and kiss her."

"That's not very romantic."

"You're not very romantic. She likes you for who you are. So just confess in a way that's you."

Syaoran still felt he should be more romantic. But maybe Eriol was right...

"Can you call her up to the study?"

::-::

"Syaoran? You wanted me?"

Syaoran took a deep breath and turned around. Now or never. "Yes. I wanted you. I still want you."

She didn't seem to get what he was saying. "For what? Is something wrong?"

Take two... "I guess I'm fine. I mean, I only have a nickel though." At her questioning look: "You know, if I got a nickel every time I saw someone as beautiful as you, I'd have a nickel." Kami, I might as well be melting in mozzarella cheese by now.

...I guess that's what you get when you take all your pickup lines from Google.

"Well, um, that's nice of you to say, Syaoran, but I'm sure that you have much more than a nickel..."

"What can I say? I'm a rich man when I have you."

"Really? I would think you'd be poorer since you pay me to work for you and all..."

She really doesn't get it.

"Sakura, are you lost? Because I'm pretty sure heaven's a long way from here."

"Lost...? Heaven...? Syaoran... I think we're on Earth."

"I guess the saying's true. I'd rather be with you one second here, then live in paradise for an eternity."

He can see from the look in her eyes that her confusion is only growing. Wow. She was really dense. And he was quickly becoming frustrated that his efforts were having no effect on her.

"You know what?" he said. "Screw this."

He stepped forward, took her face in his hands, and kissed her with all his pent-up feelings in his throat. He might have tried to save details for later, like if her lips were soft or what flavor they were or if she was kissing back or if her hands were on his shoulders or in his hair or on his face—but really, all that mattered was that his message was getting through to her.

He felt her stiffen in shock against him and pulled away. "I'm... Sakura..." Say it. Say it now! "Sakura, I—"

But before he could finish, she went on tiptoes and gently pressed her lips against his. This time, it felt as if all his senses were on fire; he smelled the cherries in her hair, felt her hands around his neck, tasted a slight tinge of field strawberries...

He slipped his arms around her waist and pulled her closer, feeling warmth bubbling in his chest. He could really just stay like this forever...

Then she pulled away, her eyes sparkling with utter joy.

"Were those pick up lines?" she laughed.

"They... might have been," Syaoran admitted.

With another smile, she kissed him again. And even if he didn't tell her he was in love with her, he was pretty sure she got the message anyway.

After all, it wasn't like he didn't like her or anything.

::-::

The present came to him in five feet and three inches of beautiful, doll-like black hair and stunning amethyst eyes.

"Syaoran," he said flatly into his cell phone a few minutes later. "What, pray tell, is Tomoyo doing on my doorstep?"

"Payback, Eriol," was all Syaoran said before hanging up.

Beep.

"...Dang it, Syaoran!"

[F.I.N]

(A/N: Not my strongest work, but I hope it was at least enjoyable. Reviews would be very much appreciated! :))