Assignment: Fanfic Challenge #1

Category: CCS

Words: Cotton candy; interruption; his heel; cats

Challenge from Agent Cherrichik to Agent Dot

Confessions au Carnivala

Sakura slung her bag over one shoulder and waited for the machine to spit out her train ticket. Waiting with increasing impatience behind her, was Syaoran. His annoyance at the relatively jovial Cherry Blossom quickly evaporated, though, when she turned around to reveal a look of complete happiness. 'Let's go, then. Everyone said they'd meet us at the gates.'

Grinning, she skipped cheerfully up the stairs, looking like she hadn't a care in the world. And really, what was there to worry about? Her life was moulded around a mixture of optimism with a pinch of good luck and it was just so perfect in every way. Touya had just gotten a Masters Degree in Medicine and she had witnessed his graduation. Her father had just recently been promoted at work. Her best friend was filled with a joy and look to life that she hadn't had before she met, and began dating, Eriol. Chihahru and Takashi were voted the Couple of the Year at the end of year 9. And to top it all off, today was her day. She along with all her friends were visiting the Spring Carnival and she had the entire day to soak in the excitement and pleasure that spending a whole day with the people she cared about most would provide her.

Syaoran watched her, partially embarrassed by her blithe attitude, but more so by the conflicting emotions he had been experiencing since he had first met her in eighth grade. He had never deciphered them, and for the time being, they remained a figment of the mind. How could he explain that feeling he got every time she did things the way she did? The way she stooped to touch the dewdrops on the flowers on the way to school everyday. How she danced around in circles, soaking in the rain while everyone else ran for cover. How she simply exuded an innocence and purity that hung around her in the brightest aura.

As he was thinking these things, the train arrived and Sakura stepped on, motioning for him to sit next to her. She began chattering away about the perfect clear blue skies and the gorgeous warmth of the sun. Realising that she was losing her audience, she waved her hand jerkily in front of his face to get his attention. 'Syaoran, are you even listening to me? I just asked you if you brought food. Hell-o in there!'

Quickly snapping out of his slight reverie, Syaoran turned around and for a moment, their eyes locked and amber met emerald in a moment of pure intensity. For that short period of time, everything around them moulded into one indistinguishable picture and was no longer existent to either of the two as Syaoran felt her emerald eyes drawing him in, pulling him closer with an attraction so strong neither of them denied its hold. She reached to lightly touch his hand, but a voice cut through their special moment and the connection was broken.

'May I have a look at your tickets, please?' A bored-looking train guard stood towering above them, chewing nonchalantly on a piece of gum. For Syaoran and Sakura, it was like their previous attraction now served to repel them. They jerked awkwardly back from each other and pulled out their train tickets to show the guard, shamefaced.

For the rest of the ride, Sakura stared out of the window, and Syaoran slouched in his seat, hands shoved firmly down his pockets. They were silent until the train driver announced, 'Next station, Claremont Showgrounds, then non-stop to Fremantle.'

Sakura shifted uncomfortably and glanced at Syaoran, saying, 'This is our stop.' He grunted in reply and they shuffled their feet to the exit, neither saying a word until they reached the gates and met the others: a group where excitement and youthful energy were radiating off in waves. Tomoyo was the first to spot Sakura and Syaoran and she shot her hand up in the air, waving frantically to grab their attention. 'Hey! Sakuuuuuuura! Over heeeeeeeeeeere!!!'

The sight of Chihahru and Takashi holding hands, and Eriol with his arm wrapped protectively around Tomoyo's waist only served to increase the embarrassment both Sakura and Syaoran felt of the situation they had been in, 10 minutes prior. Sensing the tension between her friends, the ever-tactful Tomoyo smiled brightly and suggested they all hasten to buy their tickets. As the others moved off, she pulled on Sakura's elbow and hissed quietly, 'Hey, what's up with you and Syaoran? Is there something I'm missing?'

Sakura feigned surprise, but she was no master at lying and soon abandoned the thought. She slumped her shoulders, defeated. 'Well, it's a really long story, but basically we just sort of-'

Takashi spun on his heel and faced the girls, arms flailing enthusiastically. 'Hey, slowpokes, hurry up or we'll leave you behind!'

The matter being discussed between the two girls was quickly dropped as they hurried to the line. Despite the previous issue between her and Syaoran, Sakura quickly shed off her depressed air and happily ran around the carnival, lining up for rides non-stop and dragging her friends on everything ranging from the ferris wheel to the bumper cars.

So by the time lunch time came, everyone had exhausted themselves weary and were craving a bit of sugar to revitalise them for the rest of the afternoon. They were all spread out across the food lane, and once again Sakura found herself alone with Syaoran. She had her face scrunched up in concentration as she decided what to eat, and despite the himself, Syaoran began thinking how cute she looked. 'Decided what to eat yet?'

Sakura shook her head in response, then turned around swiftly to face him, saying, 'I can't decide what to eat. What do you want?'

'I don't know. Don't you want some fairy floss or something?'

Sakura broke into a wide grin and grabbed his hand, causing a million sensations to shoot up their arms, the indicators of the obvious chemistry between them. They decided to ignore the supposed warning and Syaoran let himself be dragged to the fairy floss vendor. The elderly man serving there smiled warmly at them both and asked kindly, 'What flavour would you like?'

Again, Sakura was stumped and torn in her indecisiveness, but the man made up her mind for her. 'How about pink strawberry for the lovely couple?'

For the second time that day, Syaoran and Sakura found themselves in a sticky situation, unable to deal with the growing attractions they were feeling for each other. Syaoran quickly payed the man and they walked off, each with their own stick of floss, and eating in painstaking silence.

Lunched passed by quickly with companionable chatter, and when everyone had polished off their munchies, Tomoyo requested to go to the cat show. Sakura reluctantly protested, saying that she had a strong allergy to cats. It was strange, though, that Tomoyo should suggest such a thing when she was in full knowledge of the time her best friend broke out in a horrible rash from petting Chihahru's cat. But none of the people present that day found anything remotely strange in Tomoyo's proposition, and it was finally arranged that Sakura and Syaoran would take a ride on the roller coaster while everyone else took a tour of the cat show.

As everyone was filing into the tent, Tomoyo brushed her arm lightly against Syaoran's in a movement so subtle no one noticed but him. He turned bemusedly to face her, but all she did was slip him a knowing look before disappearing into the mass beyond.

And then Syaoran and Sakura were left alone. When the others returned in fifteen minutes, they found no sign of their friends at the roller coaster, and just as Takashi was about to go into his dramatic panic mode, Tomoyo pointed out a sight so beautiful and touching that they would never forget it.

Syaoran and Sakura were seated on the river's edge, fingers entwined in a movement of delicate intimacy, and as the sun set over them, they leaned in and their lips met for the first time. The soft orange-red glow that the setting sun cast over the scene wrapped them in a beautiful harmony as they completed a kiss filled with years of waiting, of not knowing; and of a passion and love that would last until the end of time.

"Being deeply loved by someone gives you strength, while loving someone deeply gives you courage."

Until…the end of time.

THE END

FIELD NOTES

Oh god, that was so cringeworthy! D: Since I was describing it in third person I couldn't really add what it felt like or anything but I tried my best! I am going to hide in a corner and wallow in my own self-pity because I can't write fluffy oneshots. Woe is me, etc. etc.

Oh well, enough wallowing. Life moves on. xD

I hope you enjoyed this challenge people, it's my first ever attempt and I am and have always been extremely bad at writing short stories so please excuse the length! I'd love to hear from you so please review, it takes you just a few seconds but it means the world to me. :) Bring in the constructive criticism (or even just plain criticism), I don't care, as long as it's useful!

I'll be back again soon...

Signing off,

Agent Dot