Dusty Books and Mixed Drinks
Sakura Kinomoto absentmindedly stacked several volumes of returned books onto a metal cart. It was Friday and she was busy filing away books back on their shelves at the university library where she worked part-time most evenings. It was a great place for her to work since she could just head over after the end of her last class.
The library was nearly empty. Most students had already gone back home to get ready for their Friday night activity. Sakura was never one of those students who went out on Friday or Saturday nights. She was much too busy trying to make enough money to pay for her apartment, clothing, school supplies, and food.
After Sakura had filled the cart with the remaining books she wheeled it over to one of the enormous dusty shelves where she would file the books away according to the Dewey decimal system. Light footsteps echoed in the virtually vacant library. Sakura swiveled her head at the sound. Her short auburn hair swished with the sudden motion.
"Sakura-san, do you want some help? I'm finished with all the patrons for this afternoon, and I've locked the doors so no one else can get in." A calm and caring voice asked her.
Sakura's fellow co-worker Akiho Shinomoto smiled up at her from a few feet away. Her ash blonde hair glistened under the Library's fluorescent light. They had met while working at the library. Though they had never spent much time together after work, Sakura considered the girl a friend. They two girls had a lot in common and Sakura enjoyed Akiho's sweet and friendly demeanor.
"Sure," Sakura told her nodding at the girl. "I'd love some help."
Akiho's smile widened as she picked up a few books off the cart determined to find out where they should be placed. Sakura continued to do the same. She hoped to eliminate the pile of books quickly so she could leave soon, even though she'd rather just keep working here instead of going to her next destination.
"Are you working your other job tonight?" Akiho asked as she placed a rather large red and golden book titled "The Magic of Tarot" in its proper place.
Sakura nodded. She despised her second job. It was nothing like working in the calm and quite Library, but it helped to pay the bills. She'd just have to manage it unless something better came along, so far all the other jobs she had applied for had turned her away or the hours didn't work with her already hectic schedule. She knew she could ask Tomoyo, her father, or even her great-grandfather for financial help and they would do their best to lend her money until she was done with school, but she wanted to make it on her own. Sakura didn't want to be a burden on anyone. She had already done too much damage to her family, and she wouldn't allow herself to harm them any more than she already had.
"I wish you'd quit working at that place," Akhio commented timidly, almost as if she was afraid to voice her concern. "I can tell you don't like it much. It just seems like you could find something else you enjoy more."
Sakura reached up and took another book from the metal cart. "I wish I could find something I enjoyed more too, but I need that job for now. I can't get enough hours here with school and everything."
"Just, please be careful." Akhio's bright blue eyes bore into Sakura's emerald ones. "I always have a bad feeling about that place."
Sakura smiled at her friend. "I'll be careful. I promise."
"So has anything new or exciting happened lately," Akhio asked as she often did when they worked together.
For a split second, Sakura considered mentioning the barista, who was on her mind much too often for her to admit to, even to herself. She wondered if he liked the cookies she had baked for him. They had probably been the best batch she had probably ever made. She liked to cook, though it took a lot of practice before she could ever get a recipe to turn out correctly. It had been a while since she had taken such care in making any food. Lately, she had just stuck with cheap instant noodles mostly. Sakura had no motivation to make anything else. Instant noodles were also cheap and cost-effective, so it made sense.
Living on her own was difficult, but she continued to manage without help for the time being. Her eyes turned glassy as she thought about the reason for her self-imposed isolation from her remaining family members. It was so hard to think about. They were better off without her in their lives.
"Sakura?" Akhio quested curiously when he friend didn't answer right away.
"Sorry," Sakura replied quickly, breaking out of her daze. "I've not been myself since..."
"Do you want to talk about it?" Akhio asked her voice laced with a genuine concern for her co-worker. Sakura could tell she sensed that not everything was quite alright in her life. Akhio knew a little of what Sakura was going through, but not the whole picture.
The thought of talking to someone about what was at the heart of her problems made her chest seize. She pushed the thoughts to the back of her mind quickly, trying to hide any remaining pain on her face. She'd much rather talk about the man in the coffee shop, even though that was a little bit embarrassing.
She shook her head. "Thanks for the offer, but I don't think now is a good time."
"Okay," Akhio smiled up at her friend, putting the last remaining book in its place. "If you change your mind I'm always here to listen."
XXXXXXX
The Spiked Caldron was full of people. They laughed loudly as they downed drink after drink. Some became so intoxicated that they forget themselves as they swayed in the dim light. The bar was a popular spot for university students and locals, who came to forget their worries or even their lives as they enjoyed losing themselves in the chaos of the night.
The deafening music and roaring voices made Syaoran rub his temples. This place was going to give him a terrible migraine. He could already feel the pain beginning to throb behind his eyes. He was sure that he was in for a long night.
Syaoran was glad that their group at least had managed to snag a table. There was no wait staff other than a few bartenders, who were hard to flag down. Eriol had left to go up to one of the multiple bars and order some appetizers for the entire table. Syaoran was glad that Chiharu and Takashi were there with them at least. Apparently, they knew the girl Eriol was dating, since he had met her through Takashi. Eriol had only been dating the girl for the past two months but he seemed to be enamored by her. He had convinced Syaoran that he should come with them to the bar tonight so he could finally meet Eriol's new girlfriend in person.
Their table was nestled into the back corner of the bar by the ebony wall, away from the terrible band that was playing a horrible rendition of a new age rock song. This was something Syaoran was also grateful for. He despised the chaotic atmosphere of the bar, but he would put up with this for his friend. Eriol's date had yet to arrive. She was supposed to be bringing a few other friends with her, so the table was sure to become packed when she did show up.
"You don't need these chairs..." A burly man stated to the group in a gruff voice. The sound of it somehow managed to carry over the boisterous band. He placed one of his hands on the back of an empty chair surrounding the wooden table. His dark hair was gelled back into a greasy style. He swayed a little on his feet, looking like he had already had too much to drink, though it was only eight at night.
"Yes we do," Takashi answered quickly. "We're waiting on the rest of our party to arrive."
"I need these chairs…. " The man slurred, clearly belligerent. His knuckles hardened into a fist.
"Well you're not getting them, " Syaoran said annoyed. He was already agitated by having to be in such a packed place and this man wasn't helping the situation. "Leave us."
Syaoran stood abruptly to intermediate the man, hoping that he would leave them alone. A scowl was etched on his face and his amber eyes narrowed at the drunk. The man watched Syaoran with bloodshot eyes trying to decide if he was someone he could take in a fight. Syaoran was a few inches taller and clearly had several more pounds of muscle. He went to the gym regularly. Even though he had left his family he still kept up with the martial arts training they had required he take.
The man huffed and turned away, clearly deciding that if it came down to it he wouldn't win the fight. Syaoran sighed and eyed the man cautiously as he stumbled away. This is why he hated places like this. He didn't entirely hate the idea of drinking as long as it was done responsibly, but didn't people care how they acted when they were clearly not in complete control of themselves? He supposed not. He hoped the guy at least had someone sober in his group to make sure he didn't attempt to drive home intoxicated.
More than half the customers at the Spiked Cauldron cheered as the band ended one song and started up another. Syaoran couldn't understand why. The band was one of the worst he had ever heard. They sounded like they had just begun taking lessons or maybe they hadn't had any at all. He hoped at least the food would be better. Syaoran reminded himself not for the first time that he was there to support his friend, otherwise, he would have never walked into the building, to begin with. The place was much too intense for him to find any joy in spending time in it.
Eriol returned to the table with a tray of appetizers in hand. Syaoran was starving. He hadn't stopped to eat dinner before he had been whisked away by Eriol to this awful place. He eyed the platter cautiously as he observed fried potatoes drizzled in cheese, freshly cut vegetables with a creamy dip, chicken covered in buffalo sauce, and deviled eggs. Eriol pushed the rather large plate of food into the middle of the small oak table.
"Sorry it took so long." he apologized to the group. "I think it was because I ordered so much, but at least we shouldn't have to order any more food for a while."
"It's fine." Chiharu grinned as she took some potatoes off of the plater to place them on her own small plate. "So when is your girlfriend due to arrive?"
Eriol gulped nervously as he pulled his phone out of his pocket. He read the time carefully before he replied. "She should be here in about fifteen or thirty minutes. I wanted to make sure I got here early so I could get everything set up before she got here."
Chiharu nodded at him and winked. "That was thoughtful and probably a good idea. Tomoyo-chan will be touched that you made such an effort."
Tomoyo...didn't that name sound familiar?
That name, Syaoran was almost sure he had heard it before. Of course, Eriol must have mentioned it to him a million times so he was sure he had, but there was something else...something he couldn't quite put his finger on. Syaoran tried to focus but it was no use. It was much too grueling to concentrate on his thoughts over the din of the room.
"This band is awful," Takashi mumbled. "I can hardly hear myself think."
Syaoran nodded in agreement. The music had somehow gotten even louder as one of the band members pounded on the drum set as forceful as he could manage. The pain behind Syaoran's eyes intensified. He tried to eat some of the food Eriol had purchased, but even that became too difficult with the distraction. Maybe if he stepped outside for a moment he would be able to focus.
"I need to go out and get some air," Syaoran told his friends. "I'll be back in a few minutes."
As he walked away from the central room and into another the pulse of the music diminished into something he was able to stand. The entrance of the Spiked Cauldron was to his left now and another crowded bar was situated to it's right. One girl was working the counter. Her back was turned to him as she poured whiskey into a mixed drink. The sight of her short honey brown hair stirred something inside of him, reminding him of Sakura.
She exited from behind the bar with a tray of drinks in one hand. He couldn't make out her face with the crowd of people blocking his view of her. When she resurfaced from behind the group of customers her back was turned to him yet again. She served drinks to a table. Her nimble fingers pulled drinks from her silver tray with a steady hand. His eyes continued to follow the girl as she handed a drink to the man Syaoran had encountered earlier that night. The man must have retreated to this area of the bar when he couldn't find a table closer to the band.
The drunk man frowned at the glass of liquor the girl had handed him. His bloodshot eyes followed her body up and down. Syaoran pushed through the thick horde of people trying to get closer so he could get a glimpse of the girl's face.
The dark haired man took a sip of his drink, his eyes bulged, and thick knuckles clenched around the delicate glass. In anger, he spit out the contents of his cup. The golden liquid sprayed all over the bartender who had just handed him the drink. She jerked back in surprise but still kept a firm grip on the tray of remaining drinks.
"What is this shit?" The man roared at the woman.
Her shoulders tensed and she took a tentative step back from the man. He was twice as large as her small frame. Even though she may have been intimidated her voice was strong when she replied. "It's what you ordered sir, whiskey and cola."
The familiar voice lingered in Syaoran's mind. It was the same voice he couldn't stop thinking about, Sakura.
The man rose from his chair, unstable. He moved toward Sakura until he was only inches in front of her. The rest of his drink was still held firmly in his sweaty palm. A vein bulged in his neck and he clenched his teeth together.
"This isn't what I ordered." He slurred at her.
Syaoran had fought his way close enough now that he could see the angry rise into her reddened cheeks. The urge to protect her was overwhelming. He struggled to get closer to the pair, pushing his way through the mob of onlookers who were now huddled around to see what all the commotion was about.
"I assure you it is sir," Sakura told him simply, taking one more step back from the man.
"Bitch.." The man with the greasy hair murmured.
Syaoran's anger boiled. He now was close enough that he could almost reach the two. Before Syaoran knew what had happened the man had outstretched his rough hands and shoved Sakura hard to the ground. The drinks she was holding shattered, the metallic tray clattered to the ground, and amber liquor pooled onto the bar's concrete floor. Sakura who hadn't expected the shove fell onto the ground. Her body crumpled beneath her and her head had smacked the ground.
Syaoran saw red. His jaw clenched and within an instant, he was between Sakura and the drunk man. He turned to her quickly surveying the damage. She was soaked in alcohol laying on the cold floor. Quickly she sat up. Her trembling hand rose to her head. Syaoran noticed a cut under her left eye, where some of the glass must have slashed her. Sakura looked up at Syaoran, eyes wide when she noticed he was there.
"Don't move. You might get cut worse." He told Sakura. Glass shards still littered the floor. "I'll take care of this."
Syaoran turned his attention to Sakura's attacker. The man hadn't moved from his spot, as he gaped at the girl on the ground. Furry boiled under Syaoran's skin like he had never felt before. An angry fist fired at the man connecting with his jaw. The drunk man staggered back into the table, flipping over drinks and spilling them on to his friends who were still sitting down with their mouths opened in surprise.
"Get him out of here now." Syaoran snarled turning his back on them to check on Sakura once more.
Syaoran struggled to control of his rage. It was something he usually didn't have much difficulty keeping under wraps, but seeing what the man had done to her had awoken something dangerous inside of him. He knelt down to her not caring if he avoided the glass. Her head was now in her shaking hands.
"Kinomoto-san?" He asked her as gently as he could manage. He could still feel his pulse in his ears as adrenaline rushed through his veins. "Are you okay?"
She nodded unconvincingly, unable to speak. The audience of bar patrons closed in on the two, surrounding them like vultures waiting to see what happened next. Sakura in took a sharp breath. He needed to get her out of there.
"Back up!" He snapped at them. "It's over, go bother someone else"
At his commanding tone, the mob dispersed, probably terrified he would take his anger out on them next. Sakura looked up at him. Her emerald eyes glistened with unshed tears. He wondered if she dealt with jerks like that often, or if this was the first time something like this has happened to her.
"Let's get you out of her."
He hooked his broad arms under her knees picking her up off the slippery floor. Syaoran cradled her close to his chest. He'd never carried a woman like this before so he wasn't sure exactly what to expect. It wasn't difficult to carry her. She felt as if she practically weighted nothing.
Now that Sakura was secured safely in his arms, he survived the room making sure the man who had caused so much trouble was gone. Luckily there was no sign of him or the people he has been sitting with. They must have vacated the place as Syaoran had asked. He was glad he hopefully wouldn't have to deal with them again tonight. Sakura still looked rattled, almost as if the event had brought back some bad memories.
Syaoran knew his friends were expecting him back soon, but he was sure they would understand if they knew the situation. Once he figured out how he could best help Sakura he'd call them. Right now he needed to focus on getting Sakura home or maybe even to a doctor. She had hit her head pretty hard and could possibly have a concussion.
"Thank you." She finally mumbled to him. Her face was flushed red from either anger or embarrassment. He was guessing the later. "I'm sorry all I seem to do around you is break things."
"Don't worry." He whispered to her. "None of that was your fault. You didn't do anything wrong. Does your head hurt?"
He carried her to the exit. The mass of people who had been in the room early had mostly excited into another part of the bar so it was much easier to get to the door. Syaoran was sure they both could use some fresh air.
"A little," She acknowledged. "I'll be fine though."
A cool breeze hit him once the pair were safely outside. The sounds of the bar faded away as cars drove up and down the street. The night sky was clear. Bright stars dotted the endless sea of black. The full moon hovered in the darkness, a magnificent ball of reflected light. Sakura braced herself against him unconsciously when she felt the chill of the wind. It was much cooler than he had anticipated. The spring weather was always a surprise this time of the year. A warm spring day could bring a surprisingly bitterly cold night.
Syaoran shrugged off his leather jacket and placed it over her like a blanket. "Here that should help."
Sakura smiled up at him. "I'm okay now, really. You can put me down anyway. I should go back to work now."
He tilted his head to the side in confusion. In all good conscious there was no way he could let this girl go back to work tonight. She had a possible concussion, a cut under her eye, and probably a ton of bruises. Sakura should be going to an emergency care clinic, not back to work. Not to mention she was soaked through from the liquor that got spilled. She smelled like she had taken a bath in it.
"You still want to try to work after that? You really should probably see a doctor tonight for your head. I could take you there. I'm sure you're boss would understand. I can speak to them if necessary."
"I can't do that." She told him determinedly. "I haven't finished my shift and I need to work or else I might not be able to make my rent this month."
Syaoran blinked. His heart felt like it was about to burst out of his chest from being so close to this girl. Circumstance had brought them together again. Perhaps it had been their fate to meet so he could help her tonight. He searched his mind for a solution, but he could only come up with one.
"What if I cover your pay for tonight, then will you at least go to the doctor?"
She shook her head viciously then hissed at the pain it caused. "I couldn't let you do that...besides I refuse to see a doctor. I don't like going to those places and it would also cost money I don't have."
"Do you have anywhere you can go tonight? Someone needs to at least watch you. You shouldn't be alone." He asked her worriedly. His brow furrowed. There was no way he was going to leave her by herself.
"No, I don't really have anyone right now to ask. I wouldn't want to bother any of them anyway. I'm sure I'll be fine on my own anyway."
Syaoran pulled her closer to him as the wind whipped around her. She shivered from the slight chill. She at least needed to get out of those wet clothes. He'd have to convince her to leave work somehow.
"Alright then...come with me. You can stay at my place. I promise nothing weird will happen. I have an extra room you can stay in. Then I can be there tonight to watch you and I'll make sure to cover you if you need help on your rent."
Sakura's mouth gaped open. "But...you don't really know me and I don't really know you. I couldn't ask that of you. Plus, I'm sure you need some sleep."
Syaoran shrugged as he maneuvered his car keys out of his pocket. He longed for her to agree so he could get her out of the night air and into his warm car.
"Well, I might not really know you, but our friends do know each other. I trust them enough to know they wouldn't be friends with someone who wasn't a good person. So please Kinomoto-san, don't go back to work. I'd probably just go home and worry about you all night. You are my best customer after all."
Syaoran's lips upturned into a smile. His heart beat heavily in his chest. He wondered if she could feel the rhythm of it as he held her in his arms. Part of him hoped that she did. There was something about this girl that made his pulse race. All he knew in this moment was that he had to make sure she was safe, and he'd do anything to ensure it happened.
"You're not going to give up are you?" Sakura asked curiously.
In response, he held her tighter. Syaoran hoped he wasn't coming off as too pushy, but he found it hard to relax when he was concerned about this girl. "Nope."
Sakura sighed, closing her beautiful eyes. She rubbed her aching temples with her fingers.
"Okay," She whispered sounding a bit unsure. "As long as you promise that you won't tell Takashi-kun or Chiharu-chan about this. I don't want them to worry."
He nodded. "It's a deal. Let's get you into my car before you freeze to death."
Author's Note:
I want to go ahead and address some of the feedback I've gotten about just mentioning Meiling in the previous chapter. I'm just going to say there are reasons surrounding the plot as to why it needed to be done. I wanted to give her character an introduction as she will appear later on in this story. Her relationship with Syaoran is definitely a cousin and friend type relationship. He spent a lot of time with her in Hong Kong before this story begins, as she was his only friend there. The actual way I wrote that scene did not specify that he even missed his cousin. It was stated that sometimes he missed his old life where he could lean on Meiling, as well as the rest of his family. He even thought that she would tell him he should ask Sakura out on a date. Other than she is mentioned very little. I'm not really getting where the criticism is coming from.
The Meiling you will see in my story is a more mature Meiling (similar to the clear card arc). She will root for Sakura and Syaoran's budding relationship just as much as anyone else. You'll see more about the rest of Syaoran's family later, but it's still much too early to get into that… So please hold off any criticism of Meiling until she actually appears in the story. I love her character development in the anime. She is actually one of my favorites of Sakura's friends. I think she deserves to be in the story just as much as any character. I will not omit her from this story as she is a big part of Syaoran's life. He would not be the same person he is without her influence. I would not be able to write this story to the best of my ability if I left out her character. I'm sorry if that is disappointing to anyone, but that is the way it must be. I have to write this the way I feel it's meant to be written or otherwise it will not turn out well.
As always thank you for all of the reviews! I look forward to hearing from everyone. I was really..worried about this chapter...I hope you all like it. :)