Author's Note: This is the first time I have genderbend the entire cast. A while ago, I was in a discussion of sorts where Mikkeneko said the idea of Prince Sakura is too adorable to pass up. Already used to writing female!Kurogane and female!Fai, I toyed with a ficlet featuring Prince Sakura and fem!Kurogane; and have finally finished it. It's still based on canon, and set sometime after Outo, but no spoilers whatsoever.
The first time where Sakura encountered snow was in the country of Jade. For a person who'd hailed from a kingdom set among a backdrop of desert sand, it was no surprise that he was enchanted, yet frightened by the sight and touch of the frigid element when he and his companions had landed there. He barely remembered the sensation of cold and numbness his body underwent when he was trapped in the castle's ruins, barely brushing death when Syaoran rescued him as they were submerged in icy water, and then was safely deposited on the snowy riverbank where Fai lent him her outer coat. Yet despite the dangerous thrills he was pitted in, Sakura nevertheless marveled in snow.
It was surprising then, considering that, how he found himself sitting alone on the stairs of the cabin all five were staying while the others were out there throwing snowballs at each other. The sun hadn't fully set yet and the indoor fireplace was well lit thanks to the women. (Sakura was sleepy and laid down on the comfortable futon, but he still remembered Fai ordering Kurogane to go outside with the blunt ax to chop down firewood. The warrior made a fit about the witch being lazy, but she went out anyways and returned back with a fine pile of woods where Fai then took over and giddily fiddled with matches before lighting them all on fire.)
He had helped Fai prepare supper, piping hot soup and mounds of stale bread, which all of them had inhaled down hungrily. The previous world was harrowing and there simply wasn't any time to rest and eat, but they were still able to claim one of his feathers. It was Mokona who had suggested they go outside to play in the snow, Syaoran who had protested that they should rest, Kurogane begrudgingly siding with the girl, Fai quipping that they should, and then Sakura who'd meekly said that the snow is rather nice tonight before the brunette wearily eyed the prince and nodded her head in reluctant agreement.
Eating to his content and sitting by the warm hearth in the company of his friends sure did help Sakura feel more alert and restored from his fit of sleepiness, so it wasn't his state of energy that deterred him from joining the others in the snow. He knew none of them – well, perhaps except Syaoran, he mused – would mind if he joined in the fray, but deep down he still hesitated. Being hit by snow looked rather painful at times, and he knew that all three women were capable of handling far worse injuries, particularly Kurogane and Syaoran. But even so, injuries are injuries and he couldn't fathom hurting any of them, especially the girl who went through so much trouble for his sake.
"Hey," said a gruff voice.
Sakura was startled, but smiled as soon as he acknowledged his companion's presence. "Oh hello, Kurogane-san."
Although he knew Kurogane was only a few years older than her – at least seven years – the proud warrior easily towered over him. At times when she privately talked to the prince she would remain standing up, only to realize that their natural height difference would still intimidate him. Over these past few worlds she had learned better, like now as she promptly sat down on the steps next to Sakura.
"You still tired?"
"Oh!" He flushed in the cold, wintery winds. So Kurogane was concerned about him. That was something he wasn't much surprised about anymore, considering those times the warrior had yelled at them all for drinking too much and miraculously put everyone to bed. Yet still, he was touched.
"I'm not really tired," he said, playing with his words carefully. But he knew that watching eyes were waiting to hear what he had to say just as much.
"Everyone is having fun, and I am happy about that, since the last world we were in was scary, and for a moment I thought something would happen to Syaoran-chan." Kurogane still didn't say a word, and he knew it meant she was listening intently, therefore encouraging him to continue. "So I'm glad Syaoran-chan is able to smile and not have to worry about me.
"But…" he hesitated, biting on his lip. "I don't want to make snowballs and throw it at Syaoran-chan. She's been doing so much for me and working hard to learn how to fight and locating my feathers. It's not just fair for me to fight against her when she's so tired and – and…"
Sakura paused and suddenly felt overwhelmed at just how much pain and sufferings the determined girl had to go through for him, no more or less a stranger in the eyes of Syaoran. He really wanted to join in the fun with her, Fai and Mokona, but he felt horrible at the prospect of trying to participate. What if he unintentionally hurt Syaoran? She had enough wounds as it was, and the last thing Sakura wanted was for her to have antagonized feelings towards him. He bent his head further towards his knees on the stairs, but then he felt Kurogane's hand touching the top of his forehead.
"No one said you have to play snowball fight," Kurogane said.
"I…" For all of her cool and aloof front, sometimes Kurogane knew just what to say. The prince smiled in return at the warrior, to assure that he was assuaged by the warrior's neutral, but kind words, knowing that Kurogane wouldn't blink or react warmly back.
"You're right."
"Hmmph." Kurogane then let go.
"But um, since you're not tired, if you want to, you could – uh – help build a fort…"
"A fort?" he said inquisitively.
"Fort's like a wall you hide behind and, uh, attack from too, so I realize that – uh – maybe we do need one, so…"
Sakura found it strange that they didn't build snow forts in the beginning if they were required for snowball fights. But the sight of Kurogane being rather flustered and nice made him chuckle.
"I'd love to help, Kurogane-san," he accepted, smiling warmly as always.
Scowling in embarrassment, Kurogane then led Sakura to a safe spot where she showed the prince the ropes in building a snow fort. It was more difficult than it looked, partly because Kurogane made it seemed effortless, and partly because the snow was so crisp and soft that layers of them would fall apart easily if Sakura didn't pack enough them well. Even though it wasn't the same as actively participating in a snowball fight, he felt good doing something, even though Kurogane was doing most of the work – but the woman didn't seem to mind at all, so it eased the prince's worries.
Just as he smoothed out one end of the crescent-shaped fort, a ball smashed close to his hand, shattering all of her hard work. He gasped, and right away in his periphery he saw Syaoran running towards him.
"Prince, are you alright?!"
"I'm fine, Syaoran-chan."
"Are you sure?" she said, inspecting the damage in the vicinity. "Nothing smashed your fingers or get into you. Oh goodness, are you cold at all –"
"He's fine enough, kid," Kurogane said, rolling her eyes. But even then she sported her customary toothy grin.
"Relax, it's just the snow, so long as it's not me throwing, everybody should be fine AHH!"
Both Syaoran and Sakura wondered what caused Kurogane to holler. The culprit turned out to be thick layers of snow dripping off of the side of the warrior's face, and she was of course stunned by the attack. She whipped right out of the fort and they all hear laughter coming from Fai and Mokona.
"Mage!" she roared, turning bright red.
"Uh oh, is Kuro-chan mad that she let off her guard once and for all?" the blonde teased.
Kurogane seized a huge chunk of snow from the top of the fort and rolled it, red eyes fuming in humiliation. Fai started running in a zigzag direction, with Mokona hiding in her hood, and she just laughed and laughed while Kurogane chased her. Sakura and Syaoran remained there, their eyes peeking above the destroyed fort to watch the ever familiar commotion.
"Get back here, witch! How dare you, messing with a warrior –"
Syaoran cringed while Sakura giggled at the sight of Kurogane being beaten by Fai again, who had whipped a secret snowball from her coat pocket.
"Fai-san is really good at this game."
"Uh, yeah," Syaoran agreed, perplexed at the women's shenanigans as always. "Fai-san was always good with projectiles, like the darts in Outo."
"And Fai-san flung Moko-chan at Kurogane-san's face, too, that one time," Sakura recalled. He got up from his spot and pumped a fist. "This looks really fun after all. Maybe I should join in as well."
"No, Prince, I – I don't think that is a good idea."
The women were still running around, one yelling her head off and the other one laughing. One of the warrior's throws had missed and her snowball smacked the nearby thin tree, shaking it savagely. Sakura gasped.
"Kurogane-san wasn't lying when she said she could harm us with her snowballs…"
"Nope," Syaoran agreed, dragging her prince back down to safety. "But I'm sorry, Prince. I didn't mean to leave you alone. Were you upset or something?"
"Oh that?" He smiled warmly at the recent memory of Kurogane checking in with him and suggesting they do something else besides playing with snow quite viciously.
"I had a fun time building this fort with Kurogane-san," he informed.
No matter how many times she came off as intimidating and distant, Kurogane managed to help him cheer up. Of course, being with Syaoran and knowing she wasn't hurt at all, away from the warrior's fury wrath, made it all the more better. The prince smiled at his friend, assuring her that he was fine.
"I'm glad," Syaoran finally said, smiling in return. At the very least, Sakura was assured that he could keep the girl uplifted, just as Fai had told her many worlds ago.