She Writes His Heart Chapter 6
Syaoran – 0, Touya – 0?
Dawn streaked into the room, waking Sakura, much to her surprise, as she normally never woke up until it was at least seven or eight a.m. Beside her, Syaoran shifted in his sleep, not letting Sakura's head slip from the crook of his arm.
She looked up at him; asleep, he seemed much sweeter and gentler. His dark brows relaxed from the frown he seemed to wear all the time, and his mouth relaxed into a small semi-smile. Naoko was right; he was quite easy on the eyes, after all. How could she not have noticed that Syaoran could elicit a feeling of hanyaan in her as well?
It didn't help that he'd taken his shirt off due to the heat of the season, which was at the tail end of spring yet wasn't actually the start of summer; it seemed he hadn't wanted to go all sweaty in it. Sakura curiously traced the muscles of the arm that was loosely flung over her waist. She'd never slept in a man's arms in her life—well, unless you counted sleeping in her father's and her brother's arms as a child—yet something about sleeping in Syaoran's arms had felt so nice. Her gaze moved downwards; he didn't have big, bulging muscles on his arms or chest but his lean frame had almost no fat on it. She blushed as her eyes followed a small trail of hair from his neat bellybutton which vanished where his pants began. Syaoran's skin was smooth and just a shade or two darker than hers; she snuggled closer to him to hear his rhythmic breathing, and to inhale his scent: very different from hers, it was masculine and clean.
Safe. That was how she felt with him near. They had become good friends in such a short time, and he'd been so kind, so considerate, that Sakura couldn't imagine anyone else she'd want with her the next time a Clow Card showed up. She knew she could count on him; his steady, stoic, reliable presence made it easier to think, and he had been sharing his research with her, teaching her in whispers at the office about the Clow Cards whenever he found out something.
He turned again and now he was facing her. Sakura gasped a little as she was moved to the side and a little closer to him; now his forehead was against hers, and he murmured something that sounded like "S… kr…"
He's dreaming, Sakura realized, and she smiled as she moved some of his hair out of his eyes. As her fingers touched his cheek, she felt a rush of warmth and tenderness towards him which she promptly interpreted as a brotherly love for Syaoran. Had Tomoyo been around, she probably would have knocked her best friend on the head for denseness—after she was done filming the scene, that was.
Then his eyes fluttered open, widening as he saw her.
Syaoran was disoriented; the room was too feminine to be his own, and in his arms Sakura stared back at him, her great emerald eyes fringed with thick lashes.
She is so pretty, Syaoran thought, and he smiled. It could only be a dream, because he could feel her pillowed on his body, his other arm over her waist. He had a lot of those dreams lately; it was like even his unconscious mind had her on it. And each time he woke up to find that she wasn't really there, he would be disappointed.
"Good morning, beautiful." Syaoran grinned boyishly at her. God, dreams were always so good; he was never shy or scared in them!
"Uh, good morning too," Sakura smiled back, not realizing he was only half awake.
She felt him squeeze her waist, eliciting a "Hoe!" from her.
"Nice dream," Syaoran sighed. "I like it. Feels so… real."
This time it was Sakura who was surprised when Syaoran pulled her closer for a kiss. Startled, she almost bolted, but then she couldn't understand why she decided to let him kiss her. And why she liked it.
His lips were as soft as she remembered the night before, but since he wasn't fighting her this time, it was pleasant. Syaoran pressed little fluttering kisses to her bottom lip, savoring the sensation of an extremely realistic dream. What else could it be, if Sakura was right next to him, and willingly kissing him? After all she was still upset and unhappy about Tsukishiro. She wouldn't be this pliable in real life.
Should I feel guilty? Syaoran almost drew back, but then two things happened: Sakura wound her arms around his neck to pull him closer, and he thought, this is a damn dream, why should I think I'm taking advantage of her? And so he opened his lips wider, trapping her lower lip between his then running his tongue gently over it, caressing it as he savored her nearness. He could smell her, feel her sighing in his arms… God I hope I never wake up!
Syaoran rolled so that he was on top of Sakura; her closed eyes and rosy cheeks invited him to kiss her again, and so he did; this time he decided to go deeper, gently and tentatively.
Sakura had closed her eyes, at first intending to think of Yukito, but this… This thrill Syaoran was giving her was so different, and why he'd suddenly kissed her was something that she couldn't figure out yet. But it felt oh so good and oh so right! So when the tip of his tongue gently parted her lips, she let him; he almost lost his balance when she pulled him closer, begging greedily but wordlessly for more. Slowly his tongue slid into her mouth; she met it with the tip of her own, and they tasted each other curiously.
A shout startled them both, and Syaoran quickly shielded Sakura with his body as the intruder yelled, "WHAT THE HELL DO YOU THINK YOU'RE DOING?"
What kind of a dream has an interruption? Syaoran thought angrily.
"Onii-chan!" Sakura squeaked. "What are you doing here?"
For his part, Syaoran was rapidly realizing that he was not dreaming, that he had taken advantage of Sakura, and this was SkyPhenomena's chapter come to horrid life right in front of him.
"It's not… I'm… We didn't…" Sakura spluttered.
She stopped stammering when Touya picked up Syaoran's neatly folded shirt and flung it in his face. "Get off my sister, you pervert! How dare you? How fucking dare you take advantage of her? I know what happened last night and I find you here and… YEOWTCH!" Sakura had stood up and employed the time-tested expedient of stepping on his foot with her heel.
"We weren't doing anything dirty…" she began as Syaoran struggled into his shirt.
"Oh really? So naked lip aerobics isn't dirty?" Touya bellowed.
Lip aerobics? Syaoran barely prevented himself from laughing; how outmoded was that term?
"Naked? Excuse me! I'm fully dressed! I asked him to stay and… ONII-CHAN!"
Touya had seized Syaoran by the arm; too startled to protest or react, Syaoran found himself bodily hauled down the stairway and then he was blinking in the sunlight on the Kinomoto porch.
"GET OUT AND STAY AWAY FROM MY SISTER!" The door slammed, and Syaoran found himself outdoors; luckily no one had seen what happened. But he quickly found himself wishing he'd defended Sakura from her brother's implications. How could he have stood there like a deer in headlights? He walked back to the door to find it wouldn't budge.
He could hear Sakura remonstrating with her brother on the other side of the door; they were arguing about whether or not to let Syaoran back in. Syaoran shook his head, and found he was all red as he heard snatches of the argument. Touya Kinomoto was screaming his head off about what a brat Syaoran was, how untrustworthy he looked, and how Sakura had Yukito. Sakura was yelling back about how Touya did not know Syaoran, and never mind Yukito because she knew the truth about the arrangement with Touya.
"Oh so that's it, isn't it? Touya roared as Syaoran tried to push the door. "You were using the brat because of something Yuki did?"
"Using my feelings for Yukito is stupid! Encouraging your best friend—who, by the way, I think is in love with you—to date me, to lead me on even if it hurt him… Who's stupid?" Sakura said vindictively. "I should have seen it. You encouraged it so I would never date others. How stupid I was!"
Syaoran almost cried out then; Sakura was so angry, she was answering her brother back in an uncharacteristically hostile tone. But if what she said was true, then… could it be that she wanted to see Syaoran in another light?
That's just your selfishness talking, Syaoran chided himself. And what had happened earlier… it wasn't a dream. He'd just kissed Sakura. No, let's be truthful, he scolded himself. I just made out with Sakura… and I took advantage of her feelings… I'm nothing but a…
He never got to finish his train of thought as he heard footsteps behind him. It was Yukito Tsukishiro. Syaoran gawked at him, wondering what Yue's false form was doing striding up Sakura's street with a grim look on his face…
Oh no he knows what I did! Syaoran went pale just as Yukito approached him.
"I…"
Yukito merely glanced at him. "I'm sorry I couldn't stop Touya-kun from coming here," he said.
"W… what?"
"Touya!" Yukito called out as he reached the Kinomotos' door and tried it. "Open up!"
The scuffling inside stopped. "Is that Chinese brat still out there?" Touya called, making Syaoran bristle in annoyance.
The door opened, with Sakura blocking the doorway with her body, as if daring her brother to slam it on her. Syaoran noted that she would not look at Yukito, instead determinedly looking at him.
Oh God why does she have to look so… sexy when she does that? Her blazing green eyes, her flushed cheeks—when his gaze strayed to her lips, Syaoran realized they were still a little swollen from his kisses. To his shame, he went red from the memory.
"You!" Touya began, shaking a finger at Syaoran. Yukito stepped between them.
"Leave them alone," he said softly.
"What? Do you know that I caught him naked…"
"He wasn't naked, he just didn't have his shirt on!" Sakura protested.
"… and they were making out…"
Neither Sakura nor Syaoran said anything at that, because it was the truth.
"… and they were obviously alone together all night… Give me a good reason not to kill him right now!" Touya finished in a huff as he glared at Syaoran, a glare which wasn't returned as Syaoran was watching Sakura.
"She's old enough," Syaoran was surprised to hear himself say. "We did nothing wrong, and I'd never do anything to disrespect her."
"Syaoran…" Sakura turned her gaze on Syaoran, whose cheeks were burning but who was glaring determinedly at her brother.
"If you want to punish someone, punish me," Syaoran said, his glare matching Touya's; the air seemed charged with sparks. "But leave Sakura alone!"
"No, leave them both alone," Yukito said, causing everyone to turn to him.
"Why should I?" Touya asked belligerently.
"Because I'm asking you to leave them alone," Yukito said, very softly. "Our agreement is over. Sakura is an adult, and I think we should leave her and Li-kun alone. Do you hear me?"
"But…" Touya began to protest.
"Shut up. I've had enough of this goddamned farce… and so has Sakura," Yukito said coldly.
Touya was stunned into silence; neither he nor Sakura had ever heard Yukito speak in that manner. Yukito was calm, but unsmiling and he seemed sad. Syaoran watched him carefully, because he could sense the older man had something more to say.
"Yuki…" Touya began, stepping towards Yukito, reaching out a hand to touch him.
Yukito shrugged Touya's hand off. "You see… unlike you I have kept my promise. I think it's time you kept yours." Yukito turned and smiled sadly at Sakura, then at Syaoran as he took his leave.
"Please take care of Sakura-chan," he said softly as he passed Syaoran; he gently shut the gate and walked away.
Touya, stunned, was frozen in place; Sakura nudged him and said, "You should go after him."
"I…"
"Just go." Sakura didn't seem angry anymore, just tired and a bit like she'd been shocked out of her innocence.
Without another word, Touya took off after Yukito, leaving Sakura and Syaoran alone.
Syaoran was determined not to lose Sakura over his own stupidity, and so he turned to her and bowed his head. "I… I'm very sorry… for what I did. I thought… it was a dream."
Why am I feeling hurt? Sakura's eyes widened, and she tried to look cheerful. "It was nothing, Syaoran, I understand, ha-ha," she babbled. "Um, I…" Should I invite him for breakfast? Sakura wondered.
He was wondering the same thing, but he felt he'd done enough damage for one day. "I… uh… sorry. And…" Words failed him now. Again.
"No, actually… um…" Sakura looked up at Syaoran shyly. "Thank you."
"I didn't do anything…"
"Thank you for staying."
Praying he didn't sound like he was desperate to stay with her, Syaoran asked, "Will… will you be OK alone? I mean, here? At home?" Way to sound stupid, Li, he chided himself.
Before Sakura could answer, Kero flew at Sakura. "Food! Food! I am starving! I want pancakes and mochi and sweet bean curd and soya and…"
"Hoe, Kero, I haven't even made my own breakfast! And who eats desserts for breakfast?" Sakura said.
"What a pig," Syaoran muttered, annoyed at the interruption.
"What did you say?" Kero said angrily.
Syaoran didn't answer, merely glaring at Sakura's guardian, so Kero shook a tiny fist at him and said, "Your ass is mine, boy, tonight."
"Yeah right. What's happening later?"
"Training! You two took the night off yesterday," Kero said. "You have to learn how to use the Cards you have," he said to Sakura, "and you need to learn more from Yue about being Sakura's protector, 'cause you're lame…" he waved a paw in Syaoran's direction dismissively.
"What did you say?" Syaoran snarled.
"Er… ah…" Sakura laughed nervously, then before she could add anything else, Syaoran seemed to deflate into himself.
"I'll… see you later," he said, not looking at her as he tucked his hands into his pockets.
"Ah, okay," Sakura said, and she watched as he walked away without looking back.
Why did things have to be so confusing? And why did Syaoran…
He regrets kissing me.
Sakura's eyes widened when she remembered that she had kissed him first.
I have no shame. He couldn't leave fast enough because…
Dejected, she went into the kitchen to give Kero his breakfast.
"Really now, Tomoyo-san," Eriol chided her as they sat in his plush Tokyo apartment, "is it necessary to scare Syaoran with that author note?" With his teacup, he indicated the computer screen of her MacBook, on which the following author's note had been typed at the end of the latest chapter:
"To the real Xiao Long, how about opening an account if you want to know what happens next in real life with S. K., and leaving a review here? That way we can PM you. You didn't check the Shadow chapter out yet, did you? Too bad…"
"I want to be sure we guide him on the right path," Tomoyo said, not looking up from the screen. Eriol scanned the chapter: there it was, Shadow would attack Sakura and Syaoran, wounding Syaoran in the process. Sakura would take Syaoran home and kiss him again.
"Should we really let Syaoran get wounded later?" Eriol asked.
"You can make sure it's not serious, yes? You control the Cards, after all." Tomoyo said. She turned her attention to editing the latest chapter of their SkyPhenomena 'Captors' fanfic, adding naughty bits here and there.
"They do have minds of their own, literally," Eriol said. "I do not want to put Syaoran at risk…"
"What's the worry? Everything is going to plan," she said flippantly.
Eriol sighed and sipped his oolong tea as he rubbed his temple with his free hand. Working with Tomoyo could be exasperating, especially when she was in her 'kawaii let's get Sakura with Syaoran' mode. "Why are you so determined to get those two together in a specific way? Why can you not just let nature take its course?"
"Because my way is better," Tomoyo said.
"How sure are you of that?"
Tomoyo looked up at Eriol, scanning his eyes. He seemed tired and a bit exasperated.
"Is it so wrong to want Sakura to be happy?" she asked.
"No. But there are two people in that relationship."
"Li-kun loves her, yes?"
"How do you know?" Eriol stood up and walked to her side, forcing her to look at him. "Syaoran's heart isn't an open door we can just peek into. Why not just let them fall for each other naturally? Isn't love sweeter that way?"
"Just because your own love affair didn't work out..." Tomoyo began.
"Enough," Eriol said in a warning tone. "I let you and the Lamplight women interfere in my magic, but my personal life is off limits."
Tomoyo knew that tone; he did not want to discuss it. So she changed the topic instead.
"Li-kun needs a little push every now and then. You of all people know how shy and undecided he can be."
"Yes but sexual suggestion?" Eriol raised a brow. "Do you want him raping your best friend?"
"He won't," Tomoyo said confidently.
"I know that," Eriol said with an aura of infinite patience. "What I mean is, Sakura has just come from being rejected by Yukito, and you know it, because you set up that date. Sexy stuff... I don't think now is the time. You should give Sakura time to recover; if she and Syaoran, er, 'hook up' now, wouldn't the relationship be tainted by her unresolved issues with Tsukishiro? And, God forbid, if Syaoran or Sakura should discover the extend of our meddling, won't it make them question their relationship?"
"Should we unleash Sword instead?" Tomoyo asked, blithely ignoring the deeper issue Eriol was raising. "Put one of them in mortal danger at the early stage of the development of their powers?"
Sighing, Eriol turned to face the large picture windows of his apartment. "Tomoyo-san, I pray you will wake up soon from this... frenzy that has you in its grip." There was no point to reasoning with her.
When she didn't answer, he turned and gasped when he realized she was writing with a manic grin on her face.
"Tomoyo-san!" he scolded her. "What are you..."
"Hmm? Watery, like we discussed. We've already gotten approval from management at the office for the team building outing at the beach. We plant Watery in the water... here, read for yourself."
Eriol scanned the screen quickly. "Tomoyo-san, this is..." He cleared his throat.
"Naughty? Sexy?"
"Allow me to clarify your wishes. You want me to instruct Watery to steal Sakura-san's bikini, leaving her naked underwater?"
"Yep."
"Absolutely not," Eriol crossed his arms and frowned. "I will not compromise her that way!"
"Li-kun is going to be with her. She'll be safe," Tomoyo protested.
"I must ask you to define 'safe'. What if Syaoran-kun does not reach her in time?"
"So, keep people off the beach."
"Tomoyo-san," Eriol said sternly, "perhaps you wish to live out your fantasies through your friend. But this is not an excuse to put her life wantonly in danger."
"What do you mean I want to live out my fantasies through Sakura-chan?" Tomoyo's eyes narrowed.
"You've been a good girl all your life. You grew up the way your mother wanted you to, did well in school, did all the good things. But the last time we had lunch with her, even Sonomi-san said you should go into your own thing, not let your life revolve around Sakura. I may not be your close friend but even I feel it's time for me to overstep my boundaries and tell you the truth!"
Tomoyo gaped at him. Eriol never said anything without a purpose, but for him to launch into such a tirade…
"I believe in sexual healing," she said airily.
Now it was Eriol's turn to stare at her. She was avoiding the topic, which meant he'd hit home.
"Why are you so stubborn?" he persisted.
"Syaoran is still a man. You said he had an ex-girlfriend, right?"
"In college, yes, but not exactly, more like, uh…"
"So he is moved by women after all. A Sakura in danger, with him being the hero, would wake him up in more ways than one."
"Isn't it bad enough that you're putting her in a transparent bikini?"
"This conversation gets us nowhere," Tomoyo smiled. "Anyway, here. You can edit parts of it if you like. I'm going to go get some Calbee chips. Then maybe I'll knock off for the night in your spare room."
"Why don't I just charge you rent for my guest room?" Eriol asked sarcastically.
"Sure, whatever," Tomoyo waved a hand as she exited the door.
Eriol sighed. Yes, indeed, they were getting nowhere. And the only hope for maintaining any shred of sanity in the situation they were in was for Syaoran to figure things out. Or so he hoped.
Continues in Chapter 7 next weekend (preview below)! Please review? I'm trying for shorter chapters but faster updates this time!
(Chapter 7 preview: Sakura and Syaoran get awkward)
Sakura walked into the park, looking somber, with Cerberus trailing behind her. She simply nodded at Syaoran then turned to call the Cards they had captured, practicing how to control them.
Is she ignoring me? Syaoran walked up to her.
"Um, about this morning…"
Not looking at him, she shook her head. "It's okay, don't worry about me," Sakura said softly, then she walked off a bit. "Windy! Take the loose leaves off the trees and pile them in the center of the park!"
"Don't interrupt her," Yue said, then set Syaoran to practicing his spells again. There was no more chance to talk to Sakura as he and she practiced spells until midnight.
Though he was tired, Syaoran went up to Sakura, doggedly determined to talk to her. "I'll walk you home," he offered.
"Thanks. But Cerberus is with me. Good night." And she walked away without a backward glance.