Disclaimer: I do not own, or even pretend to own, the characters of Cardcaptor Sakura. So please do not sue me. That would be very bad. Much obliged. :D

The Cleverness of Syaoran

He was too tired to fight it. He was vaguely aware of his consciousness fading as his vision blurred and his muscles relaxed slightly. He would still wakeup with the slightest jolt, but a few moments with a semi-low guard weren't going to be the end of him. He was asleep within moments.

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Syaoran knew the exact moment when Eriol started to come for him. He felt his gaze on him as he thought of the best way to wake his friend. He could hear his footsteps on the lush carpet, moving towards him at the pace of Eriol's stride. Syaoran didn't move a muscle, slightly hoping that he would just leave him there.

"Syaoran! Hey, Syaoran! Wake up. I've got the room key. You can at least walk yourself up to the room before passing out." Syaoran's eyes snapped open at the physical heat radiating from his friends' hands just before he touched his shoulders to give him a good shake. Eriol's hand flinched away quickly at the sight of Syaoran's amber eyes trained on him. He knew better than to mess with him before he was fully awake. The brunet slowly raised himself from his relaxed position to his head in his hands as he rubbed small circles to relieve his exhausted eyes. After a brief second like that, Syaoran grasped the basic understating that he WAS, in fact, going to have to move a little. He groaned loudly as he raised himself from the chair, obviously not in the best of moods.

"Right, okay." He reached languidly for his luggage and began heading towards the elevator that would take Syaoran to his most sacred place… His bed. Eriol swiftly punched the button and began talking about some gibberish having to do with Tomoyo. Syaoran paid only enough attention to him to know what to answer if questioned. Within seconds, a bell-hop that was probably around the same age as Eriol and himself appeared next to him, from seemingly no where. His short dark brown hair and smiling eyes were surrounded by laugh lines, making Syaoran think that this was obviously a boy that had a good amount of laughter in his life. There, standing in the almost deserted hotel lobby, Syaoran felt a bit jealous of this boy who was obviously so happy with life. Syaoran had always been mature for his age, but things were different when you just naturally WERE and when it was forced on you. He pinched the bridge of his nose in an attempt to cease the already increasing headache that he had been nurturing since he had landed 3 hours ago. He glanced at the boy briefly, "Umm…. Could you possibly take-…"

"Room 1510, right?" The bell-hop smiled politely, making it as obvious as he could that he just wanted to take the luggage and go.

"Yes, that's the one." He smiled one of his quick half-smiles just as he heard the elevator ding, telling him that it had reached the bottom floor. With a final glance at the bell-hops fading back, he entered the elevator and leaned back on the railing, closing his eyes as he did. He listened to the distant sounding hum of Eriol rambling next to him as he felt the elevator steadily moving up the floors.

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Within moments of opening the door, Syaoran had already claimed a bed as his own and promptly fallen asleep, giving himself a good midday nap as Eriol unpacked his belongings. It wasn't until well after 5 in the evening that Tomoyo finally called them. It wasn't to report that she had made it home safely, like they had planned though. "Tomoyo! Stop talking quite so fast. Now, why don't you explain that one more time, alright?" The room was silent as Eriol listened to the reply. Syaoran briefly opened one of his eyes to at least appear as if he were conscious enough to make any decisions. Eriol was sitting on the bed next to him, one hand had the phone pressed to his ear while his free hand was firmly cupping his forehead in frustration. He had been on the phone with Tomoyo for approximately thirty minutes and he had yet to get any coherent information from the woman except that there was apparently someone with her. And he hadn't even gotten that information FROM her, he just kept hearing her talk to someone else and giggle on the other line. "I just don't think that would be a very good idea." He glanced up at the spread out brunet quickly, showing that he was the object of their long-winded conversation. Syaoran uncovered his other eye and propped himself up with his elbow, trying to make it look as if he were open for conversation. Eriol sighed loudly as he lifted a finger, telling Syaoran to wait a moment. Syaoran nodded and rubbed the sleep out of his eyes. "Alright, now can you say that ONE more time? You're still speaking too fast. Remember that I can only understand you if you're talking UNDER 100 miles per hour." Eriol smiled softly as he released his forehead. Syaoran rolled his eyes as he threw the covers off of himself and forced himself out of the bed. He walked into the bathroom and took a quick look into the mirror. Well, on the bright side, he looked as exhausted as he felt. He sighed as he turned on the water and began to wash his face, hoping that the cold water would help him wake up a little. After trying to tame his hair and quickly giving up, Syaoran finished his business and walked out of the restroom and back into the room. "Syaoran?" Obviously Eriol was off the phone. Syaoran leaned past the corner that separated him from Eriol's view.

"Yes?" Suspicious from the start, Syaoran knew that he was probably going to tell him something that he didn't like. Knowing his luck, Tomoyo probably wanted to go somewhere.

"How do you feel about going out for dinner?" Eriol smiled guiltily as he held up the phone that was still in his hand. Syaoran felt himself inwardly groan at the idea of having to leave the room.

"How much of an option do I have?" He asked, already mostly knowing the answer. Judging from what he heard from his end of the conversation, his best guess was that Tomoyo was probably already here. Plus, she was pretty excited about wherever they were going. She might come up here and drag him down even if he said that he wasn't feeling up to it. Tomoyo was just that type of person.

"Slim to none." Eriol tossed the cell phone onto the bed and laid back, crossing his arms underneath his head. "Sorry, man. I would have turned her down, bu-"

"She's already here, isn't she?" Syaoran interrupted, knowing that his assumption had been correct. "That woman really doesn't think too much when she gets excited, does she?" He asked under his breath as he worked his way into his own unpacked suitcase to get a shirt. "Do you at least know where we're going?"

"Not a clue. Why?" Eriol propped himself up on his elbows and looked curiously at his roommate.

Syaoran lifted a white button-up shirt in one hand and a dark green sweater in the other. "You never know with Tomoyo." He said pointedly. Eriol groaned as he plopped back onto the bed.

"Right. Dress code." He rubbed his eyes tiredly and picked back up his cell phone. "I could call her, but just getting the fact that she was here was like pulling teeth." He looked at the screen of his phone, thinking about the best plan of action. He turned to Syaoran. "I really don't want to call her. Can we just assume that she probably hasn't had time to go home and change? Let's just assume that she's only excited about this friend of hers that is in town. Just wear the sweater." He smiled mischievously at the brunet. Syaoran placed the button up back into the suitcase and put the dark green sweater on. "It's not like what she says would change anything anyway. Even if we were going somewhere nice, you would have worn the sweater just to piss her off."

"It depends on how nice. I didn't think that Tomoyo would take us anywhere really nice tonight anyway. She knows better than to piss me off that much. Anyway, you mentioned something about a friend of hers being in town?" Syaoran went back to the bed across from Eriol and began putting on his shoes.

"Ah, right. Don't worry about it too much; it's a friend of hers from her hometown. I vaguely remember her saying something about a cousin? Tomoyo didn't know about it either until she called saying that she needed a ride from the airport. Just don't pick on her too much tonight and everything will be fine." Eriol stood up and wandered over to the door. Grabbing his wallet, his keys, and the credit card shaped key to the room, he reached for the door handle. "Let's get going, we don't want her to start getting cranky."

Syaoran slowly got to his feet and joined his friend at the door. "Alright, let's head out. You've got the room key?"

"Yeah, I'm putting it in my wallet now." Eriol waved his wallet in the air for a moment before shoving it into his back pocket.

"Let's get this over with…" Syaoran growled slightly as he headed towards the elevator, vaguely hearing Eriol chuckling behind him.

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Syaoran and Eriol made it down to the lobby to find Tomoyo….Not there. Seated in the leather chairs that were placed in a large sitting area, Syaoran waited patiently as Eriol made the customary 'where-the-heck-are-you' phone call to find out where the heck she was. "You said that you were here already? Tomoyo! I woke him up! I could have died!" Syaoran softly laughed at his friend's frustration, knowing that he was exaggerating to make her feel bad. Not that he could blame him. He practically wanted to throttle the woman. "No, Tomoyo… We aren't going to go back up to our room." Eriol sighed loudly as he shrugged his shoulders at Syaoran. "Yes, yes… We're still going to go to dinner with you and your friend. Just hurry and get here, alright?" After another brief second, Eriol looked at the phone, looked at Syaoran, looked back at the phone and punctually hit the 'end call' button. Syaoran raised an eyebrow.

"What? No 'I love you'?" The brunet mocked while leaning back to relax in the chair again.

"Nope, it wasn't necessary." Eriol smiled at him, "I hung up on her." He plopped into the chair facing Syaoran and placed his feet on the footstool between them.

Syaoran shot up from his position to sit straight backed. "You hung up on Tomoyo?" He asked eyes wide.

"Well, she started talking to her friend again, so I figured we were done talking. Now relax a little, she just told me that they won't be here for another ten minutes." He closed his eyes, just to open them back up a moment later. He glanced around the room as if looking for something. Not finding it, he closed his eyes again and resituated himself into the chair. "Besides, you and I both know that I'm going to catch all kinds of grief for it later."

For the second time in what seemed like forever, Syaoran laughed at his friend's antics. After he relaxed back into the chair, he took a quick survey of the room. Altogether, it was a nice room. A little less cozy than he liked and the commotion coming from the lobby could be heard a little too well, but it was a room that had a feel that he liked. The room looked like it was made for people to meet up in with its two dark-brown leather sofas on both sides of the room. Leather armchairs that matched the couches were strategically placed so that smaller groups could talk. He and Eriol were sitting directly across from the doorway to the room and slightly diagonal from the fireplace that was a few meters away. The walls were a light beige color and there were wood floors. Syaoran closed his eyes and leaned his head onto the back of the armchair. 'It looks like a coffeehouse.' He thought as he felt himself dozing. He jolted awake and got up from the chair he was sitting in to go stand next to the fireplace. He glanced at Eriol as he passed, noting that he was asleep. 'What is with those chairs? It's almost like you're supposed to fall asleep in them.' As Syaoran watched the fire dance wildly, he didn't notice the bell-hop from before come up to him.

"Excuse me, sir?" He tapped Syaoran lightly on the shoulder. He jumped slightly at the touch, partially because he hadn't sensed him coming up from behind him and partially due to the interruption of his thoughts.

"Oh. Yes?" Syaoran was slightly baffled that the man had spoken to him. He had seemed as if he didn't really care who he was earlier. Syaoran could only assume it was something about his luggage, but nothing had seemed misplaced earlier when he was in the room.

The boy stuck out his hand sharply and smiled, making his laugh lines crinkle again. "My name is Takashi Yamazaki; it's a pleasure to meet you." For a moment, Syaoran sat there, gaping at this strange man. This man made Syaoran feel as if his life wasn't just as pleasant as it had been mere moments ago. Syaoran carefully looked over his features. They hadn't changed since earlier. He seemed as if he were a pleasant enough guy, laugh lines were easily visible radiating from both his ever-smiling eyes and mouth. Syaoran shook his head slightly.

"Right, it's a pleasure to meet you as well." His suspicions still high, he cautiously took Yamazaki's hand, not even bothering to smile. "Is there something you need?"

"No, I just felt that you might have thought I had been a bit rude earlier. I'm just here to apologize." He took his hand back and lowered into a quick, but low bow. "I'm very sorry."

Syaoran glanced around nervously, hoping that they weren't causing any sort of scene. "It's really not a big deal. I didn't think you were rude at all." He glanced toward the door and back at the still slumbering Eriol, hoping for some kind of escape. This was exactly the kind of situation that made him uncomfortable. He just wasn't meant to handle these sorts of things. That was what he kept Meilin around for. Syaoran's jaw tightened at the thought of the ruby-eyed vixen, leaving her behind had left a bit of a sour aftertaste in his mouth that he hadn't quite get rid of.

"Well, in that case. I'll leave you alone now. Please don't hesitate to contact the front desk if you need anything." As quickly as he had come, he had left, leaving Syaoran more than a little confused with the situation. He turned back to the flame that had held his interest so well before. Finding that he was no longer in any mood to contemplate anything, he gathered himself up and went back to the chair that he had tentatively claimed as his own. Within moments, he was asleep.

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"Eriol, Syaoran? Really? I told you that I would be here in ten minutes! I even got here early! How is it that you two can fall asleep anywhere?" Syaoran jolted awake at the sound of Tomoyo's yelling. After a quick appraisal of his valuables, he relaxed instantly. Everything important was still there. He sighed as he ran his fingers through his hair, mussing it up even more than it was naturally. "Oh good, at least you're awake." Syaoran looked up at Tomoyo to watch her huff loudly and gesture toward her still fast asleep boyfriend. "I'll admit that he didn't really get much sleep or anything, but still. He's so defenseless." Tomoyo gently sat on the arm of Eriol's chair, softly moving a piece of Eriol's hair as she smiled softly. "Why don't you go ahead and head out for the car?" Tomoyo glanced over at Syaoran as he stood. "Do you know if we're taking his car or mine?"

"I know that he grabbed his car keys on the way out, but that could have just been out of habit." Syaoran leaned on the doorway with his arms crossed as a thoughtful face passed over Tomoyo's pretty face. She glanced at Eriol's hands for a second before she noticed the keys sitting in one of his fists. She reached for the hand and released the keys from his grasp, keeping the hand in hers.

"Here, we'll take his. I like it better anyway. I think she parked mine anyway, so it'll be easier to just get his." She tossed the keys over to his direction and poked Eriol in the side again. "It's going to be a while till I can get him up anyway." She flashed a wide grin at Syaoran.

Syaoran shook his head slightly as he deftly caught the keys and started walking toward the entrance. "Sure, I don't mind." He stopped for a moment before continuing, "Is that friend of yours going to be expecting you out there or anything?" Syaoran asked over his shoulder, without slowing his pace.

"I honestly…" Something caught Tomoyo's eye and her gaze automatically followed it. A smile graced her lips once more and she pointed just past Syaoran. "Nope. Looks like she followed me in," The brunet male turned toward the direction that she pointed and almost ran smack into the girl that was obviously Tomoyo's friend.

"Oh! Hello!" The pretty woman looked up at Syaoran and smiled brightly. "I wasn't expecting you to turn around so quickly." She laughed as she leaned past him to give Tomoyo a look. "If my assumption is correct, you must be Syaoran, right?" She stuck out her hand to shake his hand, but after a few moments her jaw dropped and Syaoran couldn't agree with the sentiments more. "You're the guy…" She droned off, not finishing the sentence.

"From the plane! The Peanut Lady!" Syaoran pointed at her, a shocked expression marring his attempt at controlling his emotions. He would have known that face anywhere. Tomoyo's friend was the Peanut Lady? As sad as it was, it made perfect sense to Syaoran. In a way, he was more shocked about how right that felt than about the fact that the strange woman on the plane was Tomoyo's friend. He laughed loudly as he shook her hand. "Ah, this is great. Just great." He smiled as he rubbed his temples and calmed himself down. "You assumed correctly, by the way. It's nice to meet you…" He paused as he once again awaited a name to fill in the blank. She flushed a deep red and looked down at her feet.

"Sakura, its Sakura Kinomoto."

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How mortifying! Sakura's thoughts were in turmoil. She couldn't honestly say that this weekend had been according to plan. She lost her luggage, her ride couldn't come get her from the airport, she found out Tomoyo had plans for tonight that she was now being forced to attend, and now she was being laughed at by a man that she barely even knew. If I had known I would see him again, I wouldn't have been so outgoing! I was just using him to distract me from the plane ride! It's not my fault that I'm scared of heights! Sakura plastered a wide fake smile on her face and prayed to all that was good that the 'Syaoran' guy wouldn't notice. "Peanut Lady, huh?" Sakura snuck a glance at her long-time best friend in attempt to conjure some rescue mission; unfortunately, the traitor was busy with waking her passed out boyfriend. She was on her own. "Can't say I didn't earn that one."

"I can't say that I'm honestly surprised that you two are friends." Sakura returned her attention to the man in front of her and almost melted for the third time that day. He just had this smile that she had almost no immunity to! She had noticed on the plane that he didn't smile often, his aura giving off a clear 'back-off' signal. Before she had realized that they were the same person, she had noted a similar aura from the man that Tomoyo had been talking too, but she didn't really understand why. He seemed like he was happy enough. She couldn't see why he would be so distant. "Hey…Earth to Sakura? Are you there?" Syaoran bent playfully, patting her on the shoulder to call her out of her thoughts.

"Sorry, sorry." She smiled meekly and took a step away from him. "So, I'm assuming everything has been smooth sailing since we separated?" Sakura smiled politely, making a desperate plea for the familiarity of small talk. This man who made her knees shake slightly was not her first choice of conversation partners. Nothing against him, but the fact that his outside personality was clearly a fake put her a bit on edge. His eyes were way too serious and cold for him to be as playful as he was being.

"Nope, nothing major has happened. You?" He leaned against the wall and crossed his arms, a genuinely masculine pose. Sakura blushed slightly; the sweater he was wearing was complementing his every feature. This couldn't be good for her heart.

"Umm… I've had a few mishaps." Sakura checked on Tomoyo one more time. SHE WAS GONE! She just went and left her here with this strange man! That was just like her! Sakura glanced around the room, panicked at the idea of being completely alone. "Tomoyo is gone." She glanced back at Syaoran. He looked behind him to check for himself. After coming up with the same answer, he got up off the wall that he had been leaning against.

"Where the heck did the two of them go?" Syaoran stared out at the crowd that was growing in the lobby. "How much do you want to bet that they're in the middle of that?" He chuckled as he looked back at Sakura. She shivered slightly. As attracted to him as she was, the way that he could laugh and smile without it ever reaching his eyes made her chill to the bone. It was almost unnatural. She slowly moved her attention to the still growing crowd in the middle of the lobby.

"A world famous fashion-designer and director couple being mobbed in the middle of a snazzy hotel lobby? That's not something that ever happens! There's no way that they would be the center of that!" Sakura smiled widely, just to prove that she was kidding and snuck a look back at Syaoran before returning her attention to the mass. "What do you suggest we do?"

Syaoran's smile faded almost immediately. His face darkened considerably and his jaw tightened, if looks could kill, Sakura was sure this one could kill hundreds with a single shot. She whipped her head around to see just what was upsetting him so badly. "I don't think there's any reason to get involved." His face returned to a normal countenance as he glanced in her direction. "Do you know what restaurant Tomoyo wanted to go to?" He grabbed a pen and pencil from the end table in the sitting room behind him.

"Well, yeah, I do…But why?" The pen and paper made her more than a little suspicious of his plan.

"I think we'll just go ahead and meet them there. They can catch up later, right?" He had a mischievous look on his face as he wrote something down on the piece of paper. He ripped it off the pad and waved it around a little while he said, "I'm going to go give this to the front desk, they can give it too them when the crowd dies down. We'll still all eat together…We're just going to be saving them a seat. That's all."

Oh, Sakura didn't like the sound of that.

Author's Note: Look, look! :D I got another one out so quickly! You guys that faster updates are as great as I do, right? Well, show some love! If I get reviews, I'll keep writing the story! If I don't, well…*deep male voiceover* -Hiatus until Further Notice- *cough, cough* I would never drop a story, but if there isn't any interest shown in the story, then I have others that can have priority.

Now then, in other news, I'm really sorry that there was almost NO plot in this one. I'm just trying to get everyone comfortable with the character relationships and background info. Okay, so maybe that wasn't the plan at all. So maybe the chapter just turned out like this. I'm still sorry that there's no plot motion in this chapter. Stick with me, okay? It'll pick up speed soon. XD

Best wishes and happy reading!