Just The Way She Was

By: CutieBlossom

Chapters: 1 (One-Shot)

Rating: T (slight swearing and a little of this and that)

Summary: After spending the evening in a room full of rich, beautiful woman, Syaoran reflects on just why he loves Sakura the way she was.

Syaoran Li watched the numbers increase as the elevator him and his girlfriend were in climbed up the hotel. His frown deepened. Why did they have to spend a nice summer evening in a ballroom full of rich snobs? He could think of a thousand better ways to spend their time.

Syaoran glared at the elevator door and tugged on the tie of his tux a little. "Tell me why are we doing this again?" he mumbled to his girlfriend who was trying to smooth down her pale blue dress.

Sakura looked up from her dress to look at him and smiled. She knew he didn't want to go to this party, but he was doing it for her. "We're doing this for Tomoyo. It's her mother's big birthday bash."

"How old is she turning?"

Sakura sweatdropped. "She told me thirty."

Syaoran smirked. "You mean thirty again."

Sakura chuckled. "Exactly."

"How long is the party?"

"It's until midnight, but I promise we won't stay that long. At the latest we will stay until nine," Sakura answered.

Syaoran glanced on at his watch and saw that it was now seven.

The elevator dinged and the doors opened to reveal a small hallway with gigantic dark brown doors at the end. As they walked off the elevator and towards the doors, Syaoran grasped Sakura's hand and squeezed it slightly.

"Have I told you that you do look beautiful in that shade of blue?" Syaoran said.

Sakura smiled and squeezed his hand gently. "You've told me that quite a few times this evening."

"Just checking."

Once they reached the end of the hallway and opened the doors, Syaoran knew it was going to be a long two hours as he stepped into the ballroom, still holding Sakura's hand. He glanced down at his wrist.

"One hour and fifty-eight minutes and counting," he sighed.

Sakura chuckled. "Cheer up. If you stay that way, those one hundred and eighteen minutes will be very long minutes."

Syaoran groaned. "The way you said it made it seem a hell of a lot longer."

Sakura chucked again. "Come on. Let's wish Tomoyo's mother a happy birthday," she said as she lead him in the direction of the front of the room where she saw Tomoyo, her mother, and Eriol as well.

Syaoran smirked. "You mean the lady who is turning thirty for the tenth time?"

"Syaoran!" Sakura laughed and smacked him lightly on the arm. "Don't let her hear you say that!"

"If I do will she kick us out of here?" Syaoran asked with hope in his voice.

"She may just turn on you and make you stay until midnight."

"Then I will keep my mouth shut."

"Good boy," she said as they finally neared the front of the room.

"Happy birthday, Daidouji

-san!" Sakura said to Tomoyo's mother, Sonomi.

The thirty-year old woman (times ten) smiled happily and hugged poor Sakura very hard. "Thank you so much, Sakura-chan!"

Sakura laughed nervously and hugged her back.

Syaoran chucked. Over the years, Sonomi still had an obsession with his girlfriend. It would probably remain that way. Sakura didn't seem to mind much. She probably didn't put too much thought into it knowing her.

Syaoran glanced over at Eriol who was standing next to Tomoyo, nursing a drink. After Kaho broke up with Eriol five years ago, Eriol returned to Japan to get away. For a while, he was pretty sore about it and refused to talk about it whatsoever. Tomoyo was the one that helped Eriol overcome the harsh breakup with Kaho and ever since, they have become very close. Though Eriol refuses to discus his relationship with Tomoyo, Syaoran believes that Eriol feels something deeper than just friends with Tomoyo. According to Sakura, Tomoyo probably feels the same way.

Sonomi finally released Sakura. "I hope you will be staying the whole night!"

Syaoran nearly chocked.

Sakura smiled. "I'm sorry, but we can't." She heard Syaoran sigh with relief and had to hold in her laughter.

"Aww! That's too bad!" Sonomi said and squeezed Sakura again.

"Yeah. I'm sorry," Sakura said.

Sonomi released her. "That's alright," she said and turned to greet some other guests who wished her a happy birthday.

"Glad you could make it, you two," Tomoyo said.

Sakura hugged her best friend. "We wouldn't miss it!"

Eriol smacked Syaoran on the back. "How's it going, Wolfie?"

Syaoran glared at him. "How many times do I have to tell you to stop calling me that?"

Eriol smiled innocently. "You can tell me all you want, but I'll never stop."

Syaoran sighed. "Why do you love pestering me?"

"Because it's so fun to do and not to mention easy!"

"One of these days, Eriol. One of these days."

"Syaoran," Sakura said, "Tomoyo and I are going to go to the bathroom. We'll be right back."

Syaoran raised his eyebrow. "We just got here."

"Just because we are going to the bathroom doesn't me we have to go, Syaoran," Tomoyo said and started to lead Sakura away.

"I will never understand the ways of the female," Eriol said, watching the two go.

"Neither will my friend," Syaoran said. "Neither will I."

Syaoran glanced around the room. All of them were in black tuxes and the females were dressed up in a variety of colors. Some of the people were dancing. Others were standing around chatting while sipping champagne. Syaoran remembered when he had to attend many events like this back in Hong Kong because of his clan duties. He was usually forced to stay until the last guest left, which could be way past midnight of the people had enough to drink.

He glanced down at his watch. It was now seven seventeen. Seventeen minutes down, one hour and forty-three minutes to go.

Syaoran turned to Eriol. "I'm going to go get something to drink. You want a refill?"

Eriol looked down at his almost full glass. "No, I'm fine. Thanks though."

Syaoran nodded and walked off in search for the refreshments table. Finally finding something to drink, he picked up a glass of champagne and turned around to people watch a little bit more.

He was raised in this sort of society, but he didn't miss it at all. He lived a happier life living in Tomoeda with his and Sakura's apartment. The plush Guardian Beast also lived with them, which at first Syaoran wasn't happy about, but after thinking about it, Kero just kept life from getting dull. Of course they two of them fight constantly and Kero empties the refrigerator a lot, but he has become a friend to Syaoran, though the both of them will never admit to it.

Syaoran felt a tap on the shoulder. He turned to see a longhaired brunette, who was looking at him like he was her next prey. Great, he thought, another one of those.

"How are you doing?" she asked with a seductive smile.

"Fine thanks," Syaoran answered and turned back to the crowd, hoping that if he ignored her that she would take the hint and go away.

Unfortunately, she didn't take the hint.

She stepped a little closer to Syaoran. "Are you here with somebody?"

"It's a matter a fact, I am."

That didn't seem to lower her intentions any. "Doesn't matter."

Syaoran glared at the crowed. "Maybe to some men it doesn't, but to me it does."

The woman giggled a little and started to rub his shoulder. "Oh come on. Don't be that way. We can have some fun without your girlfriend knowing."

Syaoran turned his glare from the crowd to the girl. "Well guess what? I don't want to play any of your games so scram!"

The woman looked startled for a second before frowning and giving him a flick of her hair before she matched off to another poor guy.

Damn, Syaoran thought, drowning down the rest of his glass. These parties are all the same. He was almost tempted to make a sign that said "I'M TAKEN! LEAVE ME THE #$& ALONE!" Even then, they would still probably come onto him.

Syaoran set down his empty glass on the refreshments table and picked up another one. Glancing down at his watch, he saw that it was now seven thirty-five. Looking at the front of the room, he saw Sakura and Tomoyo finally were rejoining Eriol. Syaoran smiled as he watched his girlfriend talk excitedly with Tomoyo about who knows what. He loved that woman with all his heart.

Syaoran thought back to when Sakura first moved in with him. Touya was very much against it, saying that his little sister wasn't old enough to be living with her boyfriend and that living together was not as easy as it sounds. Sakura was twenty-one-years old, then. Sakura, of course, assured her brother that our relationship would survive and that we could adapt to living together just fine.

Syaoran snorted. Touya was right in the beginning. Even though they practically spent every waking moment before she moved in with him, after she did, their relationship had some bumps. The transition wasn't as smooth as he thought it would be. Living together was hard at the start. Both Sakura and himself had to adapt to a whole new lifestyle. After some time though, they got used to it and living together became better. As for Kero, he took the move surprisingly well. He really didn't put up as much of a fight like Touya did.

Syaoran watched as Sakura threw her head back in laughter. Even during the hard times, Syaoran couldn't think of a single time that regretted asking Sakura to move in with him.

Syaoran's smile grew. He did learn a very nice lesson from all this.

Make up sex was diffidently worth any fight he had with Sakura.

Syaoran felt a hand slide over his shoulder and he didn't attempt to hold back the groan that slipped from his lips.

"Hey there, handsome."

Syaoran didn't even turn to look at the female. "Why don't we save some time and I'll just tell you to scram right now?"

The female giggled and leaned closer to Syaoran's ear. "What? You looked lonely and I thought you might want some company."

Syaoran snorted. "Well, guess what? I don't want any company now leave!"

The female sighed. "You don't have to be so grumpy."

"Oi, Blondie! He said he didn't want your company now scram!"

Syaoran turned around, surprised to see his girlfriend standing there with her hands on her hips.

The blonde didn't budge from Syaoran side. She just frowned and took Sakura's appearance in. "And who might you be?"

Sakura smiled sweetly at her. "His best friend, girlfriend and lover," she answered and walked over to Syaoran. She slid her arms around Syaoran's neck as Syaoran gently held her waist and slowly Sakura brought her lips to his, giving him a slow passionate kiss. Syaoran smiled. He loved it when she was possessive like this. He felt like a million bucks having this woman in his arms. Before the kiss went too deep, Sakura pulled back and gave the gapping female a wink.

"Get your own."

The blonde recovered rather quickly and walked off, into the crowd.

Syaoran chucked. "Feeling jealous?"

Sakura smiled and looked back at him. "Nope because I know she won't ever have you."

"Darn straight."

Sakura gave him a quick peck. "How bout we get out of here?"

Syaoran moved his arm up so he can see his watch. It was now seven fifty.

"I thought you said we had to stay until nine," he said.

Sakura shook her head. "I said at the latest."

Syaoran smiled. "Ah. I missed that word. Yes, let's get the hell out of here," he said and started to pull her to the exit, his one arm still wrapped around her waist.

Twenty minutes, Syaoran and Sakura finally arrived home. Sakura gave him a quick kiss before heading off towards their bedroom to change. Syaoran watched her walk out of sight before flopping down onto a couch in the living room and closed his eyes.

"What a night," he groaned.

"Was the party that bad?" a voice to his right asked.

Syaoran groaned as he undid his tie. "Kero, all the party was full of was beautiful, rich snobs."

"How was the food?" the guardian asked.

Syaoran smiled. Of course he would ask that. "Don't know. I didn't have any. The champagne was pretty good, though."

"Bleh. Never did care for the taste of alcohol."

Syaoran was thankful for that. He was scared to picture Kero drunk. He was bad enough sober sometimes.

"Syaoran," Sakura called from the bedroom. "I need some help getting unzipped."

"Alright! I'm coming!" Syaoran said as he got off of the couch. As he entered the bedroom, he saw his girlfriend standing in front of the entrance to the bathroom.

She turned around as he approached her. Syaoran unzipped her dress and gave a quick kiss to her neck before he walked over and into their walk-in closet to change out of his tux and into something comfortable. Once he stepped out, he saw that Sakura was in the bathroom and had changed into sweats and one of his old dark green t-shirts. She was trying to wash off all of her makeup. He smiled and leaned against the doorway and watched her.

Before his return to Tomoeda, one of the Clan's Elders asked why he was so desperate to return to Japan. When he asked it was because of a Sakura, the elder huffed and said that there were plenty of rich and beautiful girls in Hong Kong. Syaoran answered, "But none of them are my Sakura." He didn't think the elder really understood what he was saying.

You could put Sakura in a group of ten thousand women, who were all dolled up in makeup and rich ball gowns and he would still choose Sakura. Even in her old pair of sweatpants and his old shirt, she looked sexier than all of the women he saw tonight.

He loved her just the way she was.

She didn't have to put on any act to get him to love her. She didn't have to put on any sexy gowns or lingerie. She just had to be Sakura and he would love her always.

Sakura glanced up in the mirror after scrubbing her face. "What are you staring at?"

Syaoran chucked and came up behind her, hugging her. "You."

"Oh," she smiled and turned to face him. There was a little mascara smudge she missed under her left eye. "Like what you see?"

Syaoran smiled and brought his hand up to wiped the smudge away. "More than you know."

Sakura slide her arms around his neck, bringing him closer. "Oh really?" she said and kissed him slowly.

Syaoran moaned and slid his hands down to Sakura's waist. "I really like what I see," he said and started to kiss Sakura's neck.

"Care to show me?" she asked.

"Oh yes indeed," he said lead her out into their bedroom, but not before flipping the bathroom light switch. "Oh yes indeed," he repeated and used a spark of magic to turn off their bedroom light and shut the door and started to show her.

fin

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I am not making this into a lemon. You guys use your imagination on what happens next. Personally, as many lemons as I read, I don't think I would be a great author for lemons.

I didn't have anyone check for errors nor did I re-read the last half of this story so it's sort of a hard copy. Hopefully I didn't make any huge errors.

Anywho, wow! It's been what three years since I've actually written a story. Wow! And I still get reviews, especially for "My Daughter, The Matchmaker" on my other account saying I need to continue. There are some reviewers that even sent me e-mails saying that I should. Every time I felt bad that I haven't been able to continue. It has been on my mind lately though and I really do want to continue. If I do restart, it probably wont' be until summer. I graduate from college this quarter and between having Philosophy, an internship, three web development jobs, I don't exactly have the time right now. I will after June 16th though! I did leave you guys with a nine-page story though! I should be doing my one job, but instead I did this! ; Hopefully I haven't taken a nosedive in my style. I've read a ton of books so hopefully I've improved in my absence. If not, don't flame me too hard, please!

After playing around in the Control panel area of I realized that it's actually letting me update "It Never Woulda Worked Out Anyways" as well as "My Daughter, The Matchmaker" stories! Yay! Expect the current chapters to be uploaded soon! Like I said, don't expect anything new for a couple months, okay?

Please be patient! Whooho! It's great to be back!

Cutie Blossom