The challenge: Sakura's birthday
Genre: Humor, supposedly
Rating: G (egads, me?)
Requirements: Write a fic celebrating Sakura's birthday in just one hour, starting from when you put pen to paper (or fingers to keyboard.) Anything else goes.
Tease: My favorite pair actually working together for Sakura's birthday present? Hoe?
'59 minutes too long'
"Delicious cake, Yuki, good job."
"Thanks!"
"I think I'll have another slice. Would you like one as well, Li-kun?"
"Yes please, Kinomoto-kun, thank you for asking."
"Big or small?"
"Oh, medium I suppose."
"Well if everyone else is getting more, I want some too."
"Don't get up," Li said quickly, and motioned her to remain on the couch. "I'll bring it to you. Two slices, please, Kinomoto-kun."
The two exchanged a smoldering glare over the cake, too quick for anyone to see, and then Touya handed him the two paper plates with as much care as he would fine china.
"Enjoy," he forced out.
"I'm sure I will. It's a wonderfully made cake after all, it almost looks professional."
"Actually," Yuki pipped, "I only did the batter and baking. Toya decorated."
Touya smirked expectantly and Li had to bite his lip to thwart the automatic scowl. But everyone was looking at him, waiting, not to mention Tomoyo's everpresent camera lens.
"You did a very good job, Kinomoto-kun. I'm impressed."
"Thank you, Li-kun."
Swallowing a suddenly nasty taste in his mouth, Li collapsed on the cushions next to Sakura and offered her a plate. In his life he'd run marathons, trained in combat for hours at a stretch, and extended every last bit of his magic to help Sakura defeat Eriol at the Tsukimine Shrine. And he couldn't ever remember being so exhausted.
Touya didn't look so good himself, and gulped the last of his coke with the expression of one wishing it was whiskey instead. With trembling hands he poured a refill.
"Onii-chan, Syaoran's glass is empty," Sakura pointed out meaningfully. All heads swiveled back to Touya, whose features contorted into what was almost a scowl before he too glanced at the camera lens.
"Li-kun," he grated, "drink?"
"Yes please." Li extended his paper cup, then saw an opening. "And I wouldn't mind some fresh ice, either."
He could practically hear Yukito suck his breath in. Touya's eyes blackened to the shade of Meilin's hair, but Li only smiled. Payback for the icing.
He glanced furtively at the clock on the wall – just ten minutes to go. He was going to make it, he just knew it. Touya snatched the cup out of his hands and stalked into the kitchen, and Li didn't miss his subtle check on the time either.
With Touya out of the room the tension eased off some, and Yukito leaned back against the smaller couch with a smile, stretching his long legs in front of him.
"So, Sakura-chan, are you doing anything else to celebrate your sweet sixteen?"
"Well I spent all of yesterday shopping with Tomoyo-chan, and Tou-san took us to this really nice place for lunch. This is really all I wanted." She beamed at everyone in the room, even Kero stuffing his face with chocolate ice cream. "But it's such a nice evening and the blossoms look so beautiful already, Syaoran's going to take me out on one of those little rowboats on the pond for sunset."
Touya was in the room about half a second later, almost throwing off sparks.
"He WHAT?"
"Just an idea I had," Li elaborated, with a malicious touch that he must have picked up from Eriol at some point. "Since it's so warm and all. You don't mind, right Kinomoto-kun?"
Tomoyo pressed the zoom on her camera lens. Everyone looked at Touya, even Kero. Still seven minutes to go.
"No," he snarled with all the sincerity of a man at gunpoint. "No, I don't mind at all. It's her birthday, after all."
Sakura glowed with delight, and Li couldn't resist a smug grin. Touya almost shoved the cup at him and Li had to remember his manners.
"Thank you for getting my drink, Kinomoto-kun."
"It was no problem, Li-kun. I just hope I added enough ice for you."
Li glanced down; the cup was solidly packed with it and couldn't have held more than a teaspoon of actual soda.
"Well it's the thought that counts."
Tick-tock, tick-tock.
Li could practically feel the minute hand moving toward the 12, was attuned to it like nothing else on the planet at that particular moment.
"So, Onii-chan," Sakura tried gamely, obviously determined to milk every last second of this. "What are you guys up to tonight?"
Touya tapped his fingertips together, and his eyes took on a glint that Li did not altogether like.
"Hmm, I don't know. Pretty nice weather and all. Yuki, you want to take a walk by the pond tonight?"
Li spat out the teaspoon of soda and coughed. Yuki cringed, but he had to turn his face aside to hide his smile.
"Onii-chan!"
"What? The flowers look nice."
"You -" Li spluttered.
"You're okay with that. Right, Li-kun?"
Li gripped the material of his jeans in a tight fist and somehow managed to nod.
"Good. That's what I thought."
Tick-tock, tick-tock.
"But Kinomoto-kun, don't you have a practice tonight? I only hope that when I'm in college, I can be team captain just like you. It must be nice, all that responsibility."
"But Li-kun, you're such a great player that being captain would only hold you back. The captain has to worry about where everyone is on the field, think about others besides himself."
"I'm sure I could handle that with you as my role model. The time you spend obsess- taking care of your sister is truly admirable."
Tick-tock, tick-tock.
"Not as admirable as the way you fight to keep her safe, with all your flashy magical weapons. I only wish I could fall back on something like that when I can't hack it on my own."
"What matters is that I can fight to keep her safe, not like others."
Tick-
Li felt it the moment the minute hand hit the twelve and he knew Touya did too. Both erupted out of their seats, gasping with relief.
"Happy birthday," Sakura's older brother snapped. "Next year I'm getting you earrings."
"Happy birthday," Li echoed darkly. "Next year we're celebrating it in Hong Kong."
"Over my dead body!"
"I gotta sword that can take care of that."
"Do you think I'm afraid of you, gaki? Bring it on, short stuff."
Everyone winced as the pair crashed to the floor amidst paper plates and unwrapped presents, and Sakura settled back against the cushions with a sigh.
"Well, it was nice while it lasted."
"Don't worry, Sakura-chan." Tomoyo patted her camera faithfully. "I got the whole hour on tape for posterity. You can watch it again whenever you want."
"Thanks, Tomoyo-chan." The newly sixteen year-old girl smiled at her friend warmly, then at the pair tussling on the floor with Kero hooting encouragement. "It was the best birthday present ever."
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Disclaimer: I do not own these characters.
The joke seems to have flown over a couple heads, so I'll just say it outright for safety's sake. (Most of the clue was in the title, so if you're the type that doesn't pay attention then you probably missed it.) Touya and Syaoran agreed to be nice to one another for one whole hour, for Sakura's birthday present. Unfortunately, it proved to take more out of them than they were expecting.
