&&&
"No."
"Li!"
"I already told you, I want nothing to do with the Order or the MCA anymore."
"But Kurogane-san can help! Then you and Syaoran won't have to hide anymore."
"We're not hiding," he said defensively. "We're just staying away from people that knew us."
"Hiding."
"There's nothing to talk about Sakura. I've already made my decision."
Syaoran, who had remained silent through their conversation noticed that Sakura-san was urging him with a look to say something. He felt bad about it but Syaoran dropped his eyes and watched Nii-san bandage up his wrist instead.
"Thank you for trying to help us," Li said more calmly. "Me and Syaoran owe you our lives for what you've done for us but--"
"You don't owe me anything! You're my best friends!" Syaoran blushed when Sakura brought him and his brother together in a tight hug.
"--but I'm done with the MCA. It's because I was concerned with trying to take up what father left behind that I put Syaoran in danger. Instead of being with him I wanted to be at that meeting. I'm never going to put anyone in front of us again. As long as we remain away from that country me and my brother will be safe. That's all I want."
Sakura silenced herself. Her and Syaoran watched Li as he finished tying up the bandage with an overly serious expression. After Li left the bedroom the two shared a look.
"…s-sorry. To put you in danger…" Syaoran stuttered.
"Huh?"
"By saying what you did…Kurogane-san might get the wrong idea."
Sakura shyly pushed her hair behind her ear "O-oh no! It's nothing! I'm sure it will be fine! If I can be around Fay-san without him knowing anything, then I'm sure I can do the same with Kurogane-san! I just wish that Li would have thought about it a little more before answering…"
"Nii-san is someone who doesn't have to think. He always knows what he wants, Sakura-san."
"And you?"
"Me?"
"Do you know what you want?"
Syaoran flushed when Sakura crawled closer to him in bed. His eyes nervously looked down to her hands that were using his thigh to brace herself up to him. He swallowed hard. "W-what I want?"
"Do you want to be in hiding?"
"O-oh." He gave a sheepish smile. "It doesn't matter to me where I am. As long as I have Nii-san and you with me, I'm happy."
Sakura flushed this time. "But neither of you belong here. And it's dangerous, especially with what you two have decided to do."
"But it's less dangerous for us here than it is up there."
"I don't like it. And I'm sure I'll never like it. And every time I come to see you and Li it only makes me more upset because I know that there's nothing I can do for you. I hate the feeling of not being with you two...." Sakura smiled sadly. "But...Since you and Li are happy then I'm happy too..."
"Sakura-san--"
"Guess what?! I brought more food supplies so Li can cook us something really delicious for dinner! I bought more clothes too. Look!" She happily dragged a large bag up from the floor onto the bed. "The food is in the kitchen so I'll make a snack for when you two come back! I know it won't be any good next to Li's so that's why I'm going to make it first! I also got some more books for you and some more paper for Li's ofuda and--"
"Y-you didn't have to do all of--!"
"Yes I did! If I didn't care of my best friends, who would? You two can barely take care of each other properly!" Syaoran blushed. "Every time I come here all your clothes are full of blood and barely staying on you! Oh! And I'm going to cut yours and his hair today too!"
"M-my hair?" He frowned as Sakura cheerfully pulled out a pair of scissors. "It's long?"
"It's not short." Syaoran stiffened when Sakura came against him to push her hands through his hair. "I've never cut hair before but it can't be that hard! And the last time you and Li cut each others' hair it turned out really ridiculous!"
As Sakura continued to run her fingers through his hair and decide how to cut it, Syaoran shyly raised his eyes to watch her. Even though they were sixteen now, he still felt extremely nervous around her. Sakura-san had always scared him when he was younger because she had so much energy and would do or say things he didn't understand. She wasn't like his brother at all. Nii-san was a very calm and straightforward person. Syaoran could always tell what Nii-san was thinking or feeling and why. But Sakura-san…she was very…..---
Syaoran blushed and nervously pulled her hands out of his hair and forced himself back. "I-I think I'm going to get dressed now. M-me and Nii-san have work to do."
"Already?!" Sakura pouted as Syaoran moved around her and got out of bed. "But you're still hurt!"
"I always get injured." He grinned and touched one of the many scars on his battered face. "Besides, I can't feel pain so it doesn't matter how many cuts I get."
"Yes it does!" Sakura knelt up on the bed and took his face in her hands. "Even though you can't feel it doesn't mean that it's not there! If you hurt yourself too much, or lose too much blood without knowing it, you'll--!"
"Nii-san is always with me. That will never happen."
"…even so…" Sakura gently pulled his face down until their cheeks were pressed together. "Even so…I still worry for you, Syaoran…"
Syaoran blushed in misery. "I-I'm sorry....it's because I'm weak..."
She paused. "What?"
"...If I was stronger then you wouldn't have to worry about--"
"--What?!" Sakura pulled back and looked up to him with a frown. "Of course I'd still worry about you! Even if you were the strongest person in the world I would still worry about you! No--if you were the strongest person in the world, I would worry for you more!"
He smiled sadly. "That's not true...even though me and my brother go through the same thing...it's always me you're concerned with." Sakura blushed and looked suddenly anxious. "It's because he's so strong, right?"
"T-that's not really why I--...I-I mean...I worry for Li too!"
"But because I'm weak you have to worry about me twice as much. Please forgive me, Sakura-san, for making you so sad." Syaoran gently pulled away from her with a smile.
He already knew that he worried Sakura-san, had always worried her since the moment they met. Just like Syaoran already knew that he was healthy or strong enough to fight equally beside Nii-san. Ever. But if he could do anything to help his brother, even the smallest thing, then Syaoran was willing to try. He had another reason for fighting too, though.
Maybe it was silly….and probably unnecessary since Nii-san was strong enough for the three of them. But Syaoran wanted to be strong for Sakura-san. If he fought a lot then maybe he would eventually be so strong that Sakura-san wouldn't worry about him anymore. He had always been the weakest of the three and though he accepted his inferiority next to his brother, Syaoran couldn't accept being too weak to do anything if Sakura-san ever needed him. Especially since she was putting her life on the line by keeping an eye on Fay-san for them.....
"Sakura looks pretty today, doesn't she?" Li commented as they walked through the Valley.
"V-very," Syaoran shyly agreed. "Though…she always does. She's much too beautiful to be an ordinary human, don't you think?"
Li just grinned. "I just wish she didn't speak to Kurogane without mentioning it to us first. She's already in a dangerous situation because she's so close to Fay. I asked her to stay with us for awhile so she could put some time between her and Kurogane but she's much too stubborn to listen to me."
"....do you really think she's in that much danger, Nii-san?"
"I don't know. But I wish she would stay near us all the same…"
Syaoran blushed and dropped his eyes. "Me too."
"They really made a mess this time. We'll have to spend most of tomorrow trying to fix the damage. 33 miles of destruction and blood..."
Syaoran raised his eyes as his brother spoke and looked to the chaos the Shattered Ones had caused. Usually him and his brother would be out all day to make sure this didn't happen but because Sakura had come to visit they had stayed with her during the morning. A whole building, one of the only four that had remained, was toppled and bodies were thrown about the debris. Syaoran knelt by the third person on the trail and checked for a pulse. "These people are all still alive, Nii-san," he said softly. "Someone was just out for blood again."
"And still is by the look of it. 33 miles isn't enough. They won't be satisfied until they make the Valley red." Li nodded up ahead to where people were gathered. "Even if only half of each person here is responsible it still makes me angry. Having to live with another soul for your whole life! Wouldn't you want to conquer it?! It's like all these people just let their other half walk over them…I can't stand that."
"Maybe some of them try to control the other but they're just not strong enough," Syaoran said with a frown.
Nii-san's eyes flickered to his face. "How's your wrist? Is it worse from the fight just now?"
"No. It's better."
"I'm going to take the main one out. I'm guessing it's the guy in the middle." Li blinked. "Girl in the middle, actually."
Syaoran squinted. "What? How can you tell?"
"Well, her clothes are falling off and it's usually women who have breas--"
"N-Nii-san!" Syaoran waved his hands and blushed to make his brother stop. "I-I get it!"
"Regardless of who it is…" Li easily summoned his sword from his hand. "She has to be stopped before she hurts herself anymore."
Syaoran started coughing but managed to nod in agreement. He tried to discreetly wipe the blood that had come from his mouth onto his new jeans but he knew that Nii-san saw it. Syaoran blushed. "S-so I'll take any others then?"
He hesitated, still eying him. "...Yeah. She seems to be the main one but it looks like there's more who want to fight. Be careful, Syaoran," he said seriously. "People look small and harmless but their souls are malicious."
"I know, Nii-san." Syaoran smiled and rubbed his grotesquely bruised neck. "And I have all the scares and lost blood to prove it."
Li wasn't smiling. "Just be careful," he repeated softly.