A/N: Here's part two, in all its unbearable fluffiness! Part three will be set during world hopping – after Sakura loses her feathers, but before everything went to hell (aka Tokyo). Gotta keep the fluff going!

Thanks again go to SilentCynara, an also to all the wonderful reviewers who were kind enough to leave a comment!

Tradition

Chapter Two: The Tradition Grows

"Sakura … Sakura, please, please don't jump down from there!"

She peered down at him from her perch atop the ten foot high castle wall, giggling away at him. "If I don't jump I'll be stuck up here!" she pointed out cheerfully.

"Couldn't you have used the door?" Syaoran asked worriedly, even though it was too late now.

"Silly," Sakura giggled. "If I went out the door 'Nii-sama might have caught me! Besides, this way is much more fun!"

"Just – look, I'll climb up and help you," Syaoran offered desperately. "I'm sure I could carry you if – just stay there and I'll –"

In two seconds she'd leapt off and landed gracefully in front of him.

"Ta-da!"

He sighed in relief and clutched at his chest – he often came close to a heart attack out of worry for her, even though she herself appeared absolutely fearless at times. "Very funny," he muttered weakly.

"I thought so," she beamed, looping her arm through his. "So … where are we off to today?"

"It's a surprise," Syaoran replied, pulling her off the main road away from the castle and onto a side path. "It's always a surprise – you know the rules."

She giggled happily, content to just walk with her best friend, talking about everything and nothing as he led her to their destination. He always chose the destination, every year. He claimed it was his way of making up for the fact that he hadn't gotten her a present for their first Valentine's together. She just giggled and called him silly.

This year he'd made them a picnic (filled with all the exotic foods that Sakura loved and no one else seemed to know how to make), and he led her out to an isolated oasis that very few people knew about – in fact, Sakura declared when they arrived, it felt like they were the only two people in the world that knew of its existence.

"Look! Oh, look Syaoran!" she cried, running ahead of him and beginning to explore. "Look at those birds! And these flowers, aren't they so beautiful – and look at the water! Oh, it looks so cool and pretty …"

Syaoran beamed at her happiness, pleased he had found somewhere that made her smile. Then again, she always smiled, every year. "I'm always happiest when I'm with Syaoran!" she had told him firmly. He liked it when she said things like that.

He winced when one of Sakura's shoes suddenly hit him in the shoulder, and he looked over at her in bemusement.

"Oops," she said, covering her mouth to hide a grin. "I didn't mean to hit you. Really."

Syaoran laughed – he couldn't help it – and moved to sit beside her as she kicked off her other shoe (he had no idea where that one landed). "Dig in," he told her happily, pushing the basket towards her.

"Oh, you're so good to me!" she gushed, rummaging through to see what he'd packed for her.

He didn't eat for a while, instead contenting himself with watching her while she submerged her feet in the pool and got several kinds of sauce all over her mouth as she worked her way through the basket. She didn't stop talking once, and everything she said enthralled him, even if he didn't always follow it.

"Do you know," she mused thoughtfully. "I think Valentine's Day is my favourite day of the year."

"You say that about every holiday," Syaoran smiled indulgently.

"I do not!" she protested. "Well … except maybe our birthday, but that's special, and it's not a holiday."

He nodded his agreement.

"Valentine's Day is just … perfect. Especially now," Sakura said, sighing wistfully. "I hardly get to see you now you're working on the excavation." She paused to lie back on the ground, her toes still wiggling in the water. "Don't you think it's so wonderful?" she asked him, her eyes sparkling. "Isn't it wonderful to have a whole day to ourselves – just me and you?"

"Y-Yeah," Syaoran stammered, blushing slightly.

He couldn't deny it was wonderful to spend an entire day with his childhood friend, his whole world, who he didn't see nearly enough of any more. But at the same time, her words reminded him of what she'd told him on their very first Valentine's Day:

"Of course, it's a bit different when you've found your most precious person … Then you spend the whole day with them …"

Is that what they'd become to each other? He knew without a doubt that Sakura was more precious to him than anything – not that he'd ever be able to act on that feeling, of course. But was it preposterous to assume that maybe, just maybe, he could be her most precious person too? Could he be considered the most important thing to the most perfect girl in the kingdom?

It was crazy. But on Valentine's Day, he could almost believe it.

Sakura reached up and tugged on his hand, bringing him to lie beside her. He obeyed happily, content to be beside his friend. Then suddenly she rolled until she was over him, her arms propping her up and her hands resting on either side of his shoulder.

"S-Sakura?" he stammered awkwardly, feeling his face flush. "W-What are you d-doing?"

"Silly," she giggled, leaning closer until her could feel her breath against his cheek. "I'm giving you your kisses."

He wanted to point out that she had never done so on top of him before, but he didn't dare say anything in case she took her warmth away. Their position terrified him, and he knew it was wrong, but there was just something so wonderful about being this close to her.

Although Valentine's Day would always be the same, there were things about the two of them that were changing. He doubted he'd ever know how she really felt about him, because even if she did feel the way he did she was bound to her people and her country. He was a commoner; nothing more than an archaeologist. And she was a princess – beautiful and regal and perfect. But when it was just the two of them, it became harder and harder to remember that – especially now, isolated in their own little oasis, on a day all about them.

Sakura was right – maybe they were the only two people in the world.

Smiling down at him, Sakura leaned down to kiss his cheek, then the other one, just as she always did. He couldn't help but muse that in this position, with the sun shining behind her, she looked just like an angel. All she needed was the white feathered wings stretching out on either side …

She kissed him gently on the forehead, lingering longer than was probably wise. Sakura no longer went through the list of why she kissed him where she did – they both knew it off by heart. Besides, they were now far more content drinking in every detail of each other than they were concentrating on mere conversation. She was happy to lie over him, savouring the way he watched her with such gentle eyes and how warm his skin felt against her lips.

Despite himself, Syaoran reached a hand upwards to trace the scar by her hairline just as she bent forward to kiss his nose. It still tickled, and though he could now master the desire to smile he had no wish to. After all, his smile was something that made Sakura happy, and he wouldn't dream of withholding it from her. He smiled warmly for her, and she smiled back at him.

Lastly, Sakura moved her lips down until they hovered over his. He knew what was coming, and his heart began to thump frantically in his chest – but for the longest time she lingered over him, her lips a mere hair's breadth away from his.

As they got older and began to understand more about different types of relationships, it became clear that they were on the border between friends and more-than-friends – and neither of them was quite ready to cross the line, meaning that the final kiss was now somewhat awkward. It had gone from an indulgent smack on the lips to the briefest of pecks. It always embarrassed them and usually resulted in at least three minutes of silence, but neither of them could bear to give it up.

And so Sakura pressed her lips to his quickly, both of them refusing to give into the new and frightening impulse to deepen the kiss, to make it longer. She drew back slowly, her lips once again lingering so temptingly close to his own. Finally she turned and lay back down beside him, taking his hand in hers.

"Because you're Syaoran," she said softly. "My Syaoran."

He was hers, he knew it. He'd follow her into hell and back if she needed him to.

Of course, unbeknownst to him he would be required to act on that promise in the very near future. But at that moment, he felt like he could withstand anything for her – as long as they always had Valentine's Day.