Slowly, Sweetly

Chapter One: Comfort in Beginnings

Disclaimer: I don't own the CCS characters. And special thanks goes to 'Tomoyo' of the ECRS team for not only beta-ing this (she helped fix the sequence here!) but also for contributing a few small but crucial scenes.



July 12: Not Sakura's Dream Wedding

It was a bright, balmy summer day, and Sakura Kinomoto was getting married in a lovely, tiny chapel beautifully decorated with roses and peonies. To the casual onlooker, it looked like a dream wedding; the little chapel was lavishly draped with white gauze, and big fat flower balls lined the short aisle, embellished with tiny pink ribbons.

The dashing groom, Sakura had dreamed of. Syaoran Li was a tall, leanly muscled man with high cheekbones, thick tousled chocolate-brown hair, large thickly-lashed brown eyes, and an arrogant kind of handsomeness that served to hide the shy person he really was. Clad in an expensive, custom-fit tuxedo, he was gorgeous.

The beautiful Vera Wang gown which floated like a cloud of white silk about her, which Syaoran had helped Sakura pick out just a few days ago in downtown Ginza, the most expensive shopping district of Tokyo, was just the gown she'd always wanted to marry in. The off-shoulder gown clung to her upper body then burst into lovely waves of silk just beneath her waist, kissing the floor lightly as it floated about her. She looked beautiful thanks to makeup by one of Japan's leading wedding makeup artists; light eyeshadow enhanced her large green eyes, and emphasized the lovely, healthy flush of her cheeks.

Sakura's gorgeous platinum engagement ring with the large flawless diamond and the platinum wedding bands with one diamond each had come from the Tiffany's in Ginza. Her bouquet of roses and orchids with white and green ribbons trailing from it came from a floral architect who had been featured in many international magazines.

The white rose petals strewn along the red carpet covering the nave, the sunlight streaking in through beveled windows..she had dreamed of all those since she started dating.

But everything had been bought within days after Syaoran had proposed marriage. Everything had come from stores. She had refused to let Tomoyo bring a camera to the wedding ceremony; it wasn't a real one anyway. Nothing was planned or personalized. Sakura swallowed, annoyed at herself for being so ungrateful.

The reason for her sorrow was that she had not dreamed of a marriage without love. She'd thought she would be married in a large temple or church surrounded by friends and family, in a big, happy, raucous wedding. Not in a tiny chapel in Tomoeda with only her best friend Tomoyo Daidouji and her husband's best friend Eriol Hiiragizawa in attendance. She had not even had the chance to tell her other friends of the marriage; it had been settled so fast as Syaoran was on a deadline.

Nor had she dreamed of the fact that once they got to their home, she and her husband would sleep in separate rooms. For she was not in love with her husband—and he was not in love with her either. Oh, they were friends, sure, but Sakura was wounded and broken from the many times she'd been hurt in the past by those who were supposed to love her.

Because Sakura was marrying for convenience. Her friend Syaoran needed a bride to claim his share of the family inheritance, and she needed a husband to save her from the debt troubles her father's and brother's death had plunged her in.

Her brother Toya's college debts were still unpaid, and her father Fujitaka had taken out a loan on their home to finance his latest expedition. Certainly he intended to pay, and had been on his new expedition with his son Toya and Toya's special companion (and Sakura's onetime crush) Yukito Tsukishiro. But what he had not intended was for a drunk driving teen from a fraternity party to crash into them and then try to flee the scene after discovering he had killed them all. Sakura had nearly lost her family home, and had been dispossessed by the bank until Syaoran stepped in and asked her to marry him to save her and help him save his share of his family's inheritance.

She sneaked a glance at Syaoran, then briefly imagined the one she loved, Yue Lim, in Syaoran's tuxedo. No, she thought to herself, Yue would want to marry in a traditional Chinese outfit. Sakura bit her lip to keep herself from crying over the fact that Yue did not love her enough to stay with her, to fight for her when his traditional Chinese family had looked down on her.

Barely two months after Sakura had become Yue's girlfriend, he had left. Though he had been kind when he'd let her down, Sakura now believed that she was not enough, that she had nothing to offer anyone in a relationship, that she was not someone anyone could learn to love. Rejected and dumped in middle and high school, in college, and most recently by Yue, she had lost her faith in love.

Where had she gone wrong? Sakura had been a happy, cheerful child, secure in her existence, and taking joy in her family and friends. Athletics had occupied her more than academics, and she had become a cheerleader—a popular one, considered cute by those who knew her. Everything had gone to hell the first time she had been in a relationship though. Memories flooded over her, and Sakura closed her eyes, willing herself not to cry. And she knew she was pretty, and so she'd come to the conclusion that it was she who was the problem somehow.

Syaoran glanced at his friend—no , his bride—as the minister droned on. For a moment he caught himself wanting to imagine his ex-wife Alia in the beautiful off-shoulder gown.

But the impulse didn't last long, because Sakura was breathtakingly beautiful, he was surprised to notice. The gown, her veil, the way her eyes sparkled in the morning sunlight...He and Alia had been married in such a hurry, they had gone for one of those quickie ceremonies at City Hall three years ago. He'd been in a long-sleeved shirt and jeans, and Alia was in a peach sundress that set off her bobbed blonde hair beautifully.

Happy and eager and in love, they had gone on their honeymoon without telling anyone. Syaoran felt then that he was on a high, nothing could be better than the heaven he'd found in Alia's love. And she had been his first love, too. He'd been cold and aloof when it came to girls, but Alia had been like the first warmth of spring in a cold existence.

But that was three years ago, and Alia was gone. This was Sakura, he reminded himself, and when she smiled at him shyly, he smiled back and thought, 'At least she's a good friend. She understands. And she's pretty.'

When he caught her spacing out during the ceremony, he knew she was probably sinking into memories of her unhappy past. So when she turned to him, he caught her eye then quickly stuck his tongue out at her in an imitation of her own mannerism, knowing it would annoy her. It was his favorite pastime with her, and only with her; getting a rise out of Sakura would never grow old for him.

When her eyes widened, he smirked, knowing she would find a way to get back at him later. Good timing, though; he'd snapped her out of it right when the minister said, "Do you, Sakura Kinomoto, take Syaoran Li as your husband, to have and to hold, for richer and for poorer, in sickness and in health, till death do you part?"

"I do," she said in a firm voice.

Asked the same question, Syaoran answered likewise. They were pronounced man and wife, they signed several documents, and then, Syaoran was told he could kiss his bride.

Sakura waited as her veil was raised. Syaoran, overcome by an impulse to get another rise out of Sakura, suddenly whispered, "Tongue or no tongue?" He waited for the explosion, and got it.

She glared and hissed back, "You just try it, buster!"

Syaoran laughed. "Okay, calm down. I was kidding." And so Sakura's new husband gave her a quick peck on the lips, then grinned boyishly.

"Now that wasn't so hard, was it?" Syaoran joked.

She smiled. "No, it wasn't." But her eyes promised vengeance for later, and he grinned; he'd be ready. In their playful battle, he was definitely one up on her in that department.

"Told you I didn't have cooties," Syaoran laughed, patted her on the arm in a friendly fashion, then turned to talk to Eriol.

She pasted a smile on her face when Eriol urged her to change into other clothes so they could celebrate at the posh Ginza Flower of Seasons hotel.

There is no love waiting for me, she thought sadly as she stripped off the gown in a dressing room and handed it to Tomoyo. It's me, Sakura thought sadly. Nothing she did in relationships was right; always, she had bad timing, was the wrong person, did the wrong thing, did too much or too little. And that's why I'm being married in a ceremony that's empty and hollow.

She had been such a loving, cheerful child; her childhood was a happy one. Growing up with Tomoyo in idyllic Tomoeda with her family had made her a confident, perky person. But then she entered high school, and begun the series of crushes, near-relationships, and relationships that would eventually break down her spirit and kill her faith in love.

She had not lost her longing to be loved, though...and that was the cruelest thing of all.

Once they boarded the van that would take them to the hotel, Sakura looked out the window, sighed once, and withdrew into herself, making sure to paste a goofy smile on her face so as not to worry anyone.

But Syaoran understood her silence, and patted her hand; Sakura smiled at him gratefully, knowing he knew why she was quiet. His heart had been broken by a bitter divorce two years earlier, after which he and Sakura had met and become friends. He had been dealt a nasty blow by fate, though...the terms of his father's will stipulated that he be married by the age of 26 or be required to marry his betrothed cousin, Meilin...who was already happily engaged.

Poor Meilin had begged Syaoran to marry. The will was binding, having been executed by the last leader of the Li clan, and even Fuutie Li, the new leader and Syaoran's eldest sister, could not break it. And Syaoran's twenty-sixth birthday was coming up.

Just over a month before Syaoran's deadline, Sakura had almost lost her home to the bank. Left with nothing after her family's deaths, he'd come upon her numbly standing on the sidewalk outside her house. Between sobs, she'd managed to tell him what happened, and he'd managed to convince the bank manager to hold off on repossession by a week so she could at least retrieve her possessions from the house. But once she had been thrown out of her house, Sakura could not bear to go home. He understood, and offered her the second room in his new house as a place to stay, since his house was large and he lived alone.

When a grateful Sakura asked what she could do for him in return, he told her the truth about his need for a bride, then made his proposal: a marriage of convenience. He needed Sakura to stay married to him for at least two years; in exchange, he would cover her family's debts and take care of her for so long as she was married to him. He would give her her freedom anytime she wanted it once the two years were over. Syaoran also made a case for their marriage by saying that since they were friends, it would not be unpleasant. He would make no demands on her for consummation or for a child; all he asked was that she be discreet if she chose to take a lover.

Sakura had laughed at that rather bitterly. "Like I'm going to have one? You know my romantic history."

Syaoran had the grace not to laugh; instead, he'd urged her to think about it. "We get along anyway. Since most husbands and wives fight like cats and dogs, this is a win-win thing for us."

"Who the heck is forced to marry by a will?" Sakura asked disbelievingly.

"I am," Syaoran said.

"But why?"

"See, I like my life. But only sons of the Chinese aren't expected to become composers; we're supposed to take on the family business or lead our families. I like what I do. So I play ball until the will no longer can affect me."

"Oh." Sakura found it strange. "But how come you can marry me? Y...Yue...he...couldn't."

"Yue comes from a tradition-bound Chinese family," Syaoran's scornful tone made it clear what he thought of Yue's family. "My dad doesn't care who it is as long as I marry and introduce her to the family. And my family is much more open-minded than the Lims."

"What about Alia...she..."

Syaoran looked guilty. "I forgot about my family with her around. They never met her. I—" and he looked away, "I wanted to keep her to myself, and kept putting off going to Hong Kong—until it was too late."

An awkward pause.

"Think about it, Sakura. I'm not a jerk, I'm wealthy, handsome..."

Sakura snorted. "Not too much in love with yourself, ne?"

He ignored her and continued, "And I cook better than you, so..."

"Yeah right!" Sakura snorted. Syaoran laughed then; it was fun to goad Sakura playfully, and she was the only one he did that to. Normally cold and hostile towards others, he loosened up when he and Sakura were alone. He liked her company, and sincerely thought that a marriage between them for convenience was a good idea. So he kept at her until she finally agreed over a thank-you dinner she cooked for him a few days later at his house, where she'd moved in after retrieving her valuables and family mementoes.

"Oh all right," Sakura grumbled, after Syaoran presented his case again. "It's just...I didn't think I would be proposed to this way! You could at least kneel when you ask me that"

Grinning, Syaoran got on his knees in front of her seat, and repeated, "Now will you marry me? Except, I don't have a ring. It doesn't work well if I kneel without one."

Sakura sighed in exasperation and smacked his arm playfully. "Fine, fine, yes! Now get up; you're embarrassing yourself." She felt happy; Syaoran was, after all, her friend. She could imagine growing old with a friend, safe from betrayals from him because he, too, was heartbroken. He would never hurt her, she believed.

"You won't regret this," Syaoran said, and grinned, trotting off to call his family with the news.

"I wonder what Yue's reaction will be?" Sakura asked herself wistfully.

Syaoran heard, but Sakura never saw the grin that crossed his face. So she was surprised when Syaoran turned up at her office the next day with a gigantic bouquet of roses.

"What are you doing here?" she asked after she'd closed the door.

"What, can't your fiance check on you?" Syaoran teased. "Nice office."

"Keep your voice down!"

"Are you ashamed of me?" Syaoran grinned evilly.

"No but why are you here?" Sakura hissed.

"You said you wanted to know what Yue's reaction would be," Syaoran said. "Hmm. Maybe I should make some noise to suggest we're..."

"Don't you dare!" Sakura was so red, Syaoran had to laugh.

"Seriously now. I came here to fetch you too. You're taking the rest of the day off. We're going to start shopping for our wedding," Syaoran said firmly.

"They're going to talk, you know," Sakura whispered as Syaoran placed an arm around her waist and dragged her out of her office. Eyes followed them curiously.

Syaoran turned to her and whispered back, "Wouldn't you prefer to be talked about that way, because everyone's wondering who the gorgeous guy you're rebounding with is, instead of wondering how you're coping as the girl Yue tossed aside?" And to Sakura's shock, he planted a kiss on her cheek as Naoko, Chiharu, and Rika gaped.

"Syaoran-kun!" she squeaked, her objections lost in her embarrassment. "Yes...I mean, no, but..."

"Then why are you protesting?" For good measure, he wrapped his arms around her waist with exaggerated tenderness and smiled at her friends. "She's trying to resist me, woe is me," he said melodramatically. "And here I am just trying to marry the girl of my dreams."

Sakura looked at Rika's face. The normally composed girl was out of her mind with shock. It was enough to make Sakura laugh uncontrollably as Syaoran dragged her away with a boyish grin. His acting was a surprise; she hadn't known he was capable of such...insanity.

"So," he said, removing his arms from around her once they got to the elevator, "it was worth it, was I right? I bet word of this reaches Yue within hours." He smirked. "Serves the jerk right for what he did to you."

"Okay, fine," Sakura grumbled, then upon catching sight of his smile, smiled back. "You're evil."

"And you wouldn't have me any other way. Now come on," Syaoran grabbed her hand and practically tossed her into his BMW. "Let's start picking out rings."

But it wasn't just an engagement ring and wedding rings; they also picked up her gown, hired a decorator, and bought many other things. Sakura was floored by the amounts Syaoran casually charged to his black credit card, and surprised by his good taste.

"You have got to be kidding," Sakura groaned when Syaoran playfully pointed at a lingerie shop.

"Hey, if we're marrying," he wiggled his eyebrows, "we should be friends with benefits," he baited just to see her turn red.

She did. "You...you..."

"Pig? Pervert? Jerk?" he suggested helpfully.

Sakura decided to change the topic before she murdered him. "Tomoyo will kill me for not letting her do my gown," she said, sighing.

"Don't worry. I asked her advice," Syaoran smiled, then paused to dig out his cell phone to call Tomoyo, who quickly asked to be passed to Sakura.

"Get silk teddies!" was the naughty, teasing screech Sakura heard. "And edible undies!"

"Tomoyo-chan! I was asking about the wedding dress!"

"Oh that?" Tomoyo laughed her trademark 'oh-ho-ho-ho' laugh. "I was under the impression that friends with benefits was your arrangement."

Sakura rolled her eyes, and said, "Tomoyo-chan, I love you and I don't want to go to jail for murder so I'm hanging up now." Over her best friend's protests, she cut the call, red in the face, and asked Syaoran, "What next?"


Two days later, they were finally done shopping and were having lunch at a cafe they frequented, the Cat's Eye cafe, because they both loved the pasta and hot chocolate there.

Syaoran had gotten in several playful jabs at Sakura, and she gave up trying to get back at him. "Hmpfh. Whatever happened to the snotty, quiet, arrogant, cold Syaoran I first met?" Sakura complained. "I think I prefer him to you."

"Hah," Syaoran shot back. "And I bet you prefer that poncy silver-haired gay boy to handsome me."

"Syaoran!"

"What? Just telling the truth. I know I'm straight," Syaoran baited.

"This from a guy who kept his ex-wife's bedroom intact?" Sakura retorted. "He may seem be gay but he's not nuts."

"For your information, her room was cleaned out and I moved out and sold our home a little later," Syaoran said.

"What, you actually cleaned it?" Sakura asked.

"Not exactly...I left her room the way it was for months, like a shrine to Alia, until Eriol came in and cleaned it out while I was gone. I was so mad, I nearly..." Syaoran chuckled, and Sakura stuffed more pasta into her mouth.

"Sorry," she muttered when she noticed where his attention was.

"Good God Sakura, you sure can pack it in," Syaoran teased.

Sakura swallowed, then stuck her tongue out childishly at Syaoran. "Unlike you, I don't have to watch my weight."

"Ouch," Syaoran grimaced; he worked out everyday, alternating swimming, martial arts, and the gym to stay trim. "Okay...where was I?"

"I bet," Sakura twirled more noodles around her fork, "you punched his lights out."

"Couldn't," Syaoran leaned back in his seat in the cafe. "Tomoyo was standing in front of him the whole time. It was like she knew what I was going to do!"

"She probably did. The woman is evil, and I've known her since we were yea-high," Sakura indicated toddler height with her hand. "But I love her anyway."

"Amen. Eriol's the same way. Maybe we should set them up, hmm." Syaoran was about to light up a cigarette when Sakura frowned.

"I thought we were quitting?"

"We is incorrect," Syaoran defended. "You never started, and I only took this up to calm my nerves after Alia left...I don't smoke that much..."

"She left nearly two years ago. Time to kick the filthy habit," Sakura plucked the cigarette out of Syaoran's mouth, and for good measure, she reached into his breast pocket, grabbed the pack, and tossed it in the trash can.

"Hey! You can't do that!" Syaoran protested.

"As your fiance I am telling you to quit!"

Syaoran rolled his eyes. "What, are you going to make me a henpecked husband?"

"Would Alia have kissed you if you smoked? Smoker breath is icky," Sakura fired at him.

Syaoran rolled his eyes. Only Sakura had the nerve to mention Alia that way...and get away with it. But then...she had a point.

"No. Would Yukito have liked it if you ate like a pig in front of him?" he sassed back.

Sakura flung her napkin at him. "Hey! I do not eat like a pig!"

"Yeah, well," Syaoran smirked.

"Hey, I'll walk you back to your office," he said, while stealthily reaching for the bill. Sakura's hand smacked on the black folder quickly, though.

"You paid for lunch last time. My turn," and she tugged it towards her.

"Na-uh, Sakura," Syaoran's grip was equally firm. A small tug of war ensued, with both contestants growling at each other, but Sakura cheated. "Don't look now," she said in a low voice, but..."

Syaoran whipped his head around, thinking she meant Alia, but instead, it was a sexy female celebrity. Just like that, she jerked the bill away from him and gave her credit card to the waiter.

"You..." Syaoran gritted his teeth.

"Call me a name, why don't you?" Sakura giggled. "I dare you."

"That would be unsporting," he protested.

"Well, then glare all you like," Sakura grinned as she signed the charge slip. "Okay. Now you can walk me back to work. Oooh, I'm stuffed. How about carrying me?"

"You wish," Syaoran snorted, and stood up. "Come on, cherry pig, let's go."

"WHAT did you call me?"

At the lobby of Sakura's office, they kissed each other on the cheek and waved goodbye. Her officemates passed by and giggled.

"Your boyfriend sure is gorgeous," Naoko said. "Those eyes are just...wow."

"That guy is not my boyfriend," Sakura rolled her eyes, then sighed. Naoko knew why, and stopped teasing Sakura. Because her ex, Yue—who had dumped her just a short while ago—worked on the floor right above her. Because Sakura had not gotten over him yet. And because Yue was her boss.

But Sakura was tired of the pitying looks, and so she decided to do something reckless. She raised her left hand, and allowed Naoko to goggle at the ring there.

"That guy's my fiance," Sakura smiled beatifically.

Just as Sakura expected and Syaoran had predicted, the news spread like wildfire about the office. Yue had actually called her to his office to "discuss" her new projects. But the subject got around to her engagement.

"Nice ring," Yue said quietly. Sakura sighed; she knew he would never say it out loud.

"It's from my fiance," was all Sakura said. No names.

Yue raised an eyebrow. "So quickly?"

"These things happen," Sakura smiled and shrugged.

His curiosity getting the better of him, Yue asked, "So how did you meet?"

"Through Tomoyo," was Sakura's reply. She wasn't going to tell him more than what he asked.

"How long have you known him?" Yue raised one eyebrow.

"A year," Sakura said. And she wasn't lying.

"You knew him while we were..." Yue's surprise pleased Sakura.

"Yeah." Sakura smiled. "We're good friends."

A long silence stretched uncomfortably between them. She knew Yue wanted to know why he hadn't heard of Syaoran before, but she wasn't telling. Besides, it was a long story.

"If you're done with me," Sakura said, amused by the double meaning of her statement, "I'll go ahead, sir." And she showed herself out of his office.

In truth, Sakura had met Syaoran when she was assigned to interview the pop star Eriol Hiiragizawa. She smiled as she remembered how she had broken through Syaoran's arrogant, aloof demeanor.

"Sakura-chan? How does it feel to be a married woman now?" Tomoyo asked.

The question brought her out of her reverie. Syaoran stared at her curiously, smiling slightly.

Her mind scrambled to come up with an answer, and found one. "It's not really different," she said slowly. "But I guess it's not so bad. There are worse people to marry." She grinned, teasing Syaoran now. "Not many of them, though."

Syaoran rejoined with a smirk, "Yeah. You'd need a real prince to beat a precious find like me."

"Sure," Eriol said. "Now, prince Precious, let's go and celebrate...with some lobster! Waiter! Buttered lobster tail for us, and steaks too!"

Sakura joined in the laughter, and enjoyed her first meal as Mrs. Syaoran Li.


absolutefluffiness says: Whew. It isn't easy writing this, and so I would appreciate it if you told me what you think in a review (please? Puppy-dog eyes and all). I don't consider constructive criticism a flame, don't worry! Chapter 2 will be up on Saturday April 11!

This fic is "T" for now but you've been warned: it may become "M" depending on what happens as I write it. When the turning point arrives, I'll put up a new poll to ask for your opinion. Thank you, and I hope you liked this!