Fate's Phoenix
Disclaimer: I love Card Captor Sakura, but sadly I do not own it. My use of it's characters is purely for fun. (Though if Clamp happens to read this and think it is brilliant... well that would be great too. XD) Anyway... I am poor, so no suing. Thank you. :)
Summary: Read within... I am not spoiling it for you. :3
Key:
- Dream State - , Flashback , ' thoughts ', " Dialogue "
Rating: T
Pairings: Sakura/Eriol
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Children laughed and chased one another across the playground from where three friends sat in a tight group hug that seemed like it was never going to end.
"Sakura... you're going to suffocate me!" Meilin gasped, entirely unaccustomed to the young woman's obsession with hugging people.
Tomoyo said nothing. Though she had no memory of what had happened the last few years she had heard the whole story from Sakura and knew that the young woman needed the physical proof that they were alive, and not dead as she had thought all of this time.
"I'm never letting go of you again, never!" Sakura swore, earning a concerned glance from a blue-turning Meilin.
"I still can't believe Fate captured me... boy if she ever escapes outta that card I'm gonna tear her head right off." Kero announced from nearby as he demonstrated his loyalty by beheading his ice-cream.
Yukito sat observing the scene, his gray eyes tinged with sadness, until Sakura finally set her friends down and turned to hug both him and Touya, who managed a soft, "Get off..." though he really didn't mean it.
"I'm so sorry... I won't ever abandon you again." Yue swore through his host. Sakura just shook her head and hugged him harder.
Out of earshot of the small gathering of friends stood a young chinese man, his hands stuffed into his jacket pockets as he observed them quietly.
-
"So what now?" asked a quiet male voice from nearby.
The brunet turned to observe the approaching young male with stark midnight-blue hair and glasses.
"What do you mean?" Syaoran asked, looking stiffly at the box in his hand which Sakura had recently returned to him, the diamond engagement ring glinting as though nothing was wrong.
Eriol followed his eyes to the box and frowned lightly. "Is that it then? You're just going to give her up?" He asked curiously.
"I don't really have a choice... right?" Syaoran replied lifting the box to eye-level to prove his point. "I didn't ask for this back... she just handed it to me..."
Eriol's frown deepened. Sighing he looked into the proud young man's brown eyes, "I'm so sorry... for you both."
Syaoran shrugged and stuffed the box back into his pocket. "Sakura's right... Fate shouldn't have been so instrumental in our meeting. It's better this way, then at least we'll be able to choose our future the right way."
"You could still be her friend." Eriol suggested kindly.
Syaoran just shook his head, staring determinately ahead, a single tear escaping him. "Not right now I couldn't..." he trailed, mastering himself enough to give Eriol a half-smile. "Don't worry so much... there will be time for all of that later." He added quietly, though without any hint of uncertainty in his voice.
Eriol raised his eyebrow, then his expression turned graver still, "The burden of watching time... it's passed to you fully now." It wasn't a question.
Syaoran really smiled this time. "I had always wondered what those visions had meant... but I'm not too worried. Some day I will be able to do as you did and pass it on to someone else."
Eriol's expression broke, and he laughed. "Indeed!"
Syaoran grinned, "Now that the future is whatever we want it to be, I imagine this whole thing will be a much larger headache for me than it was for you... but I still think I can handle it."
Eriol nodded in agreement, "I'm sure you can."
Syaoran took one last, long glance at Sakura's bright and happy person before sighing and turning towards the airport. "No use waiting around here... Meilin will catch up with me later."
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"Whatever Fate may have done... he still loves you, you know. That part wasn't fake. " Eriol pointed out as he and the girl beside him watched the plane take off from the large windows.
"I know." Sakura replied cooly, turning to the dark-haired mage with an odd glint in her green eyes. "But I also know that you love me, and that also is not fake." She continued.
Eriol waited, eyebrows raised.
The glint darkened, and Eriol thought perhaps he recognized that particular expression, and it made his pulse quicken.
"So... it's not up to you who I pick. It's up to me. And in the end, I made my choice... or this story might have ended completely differently." Sakura commented casually, a wide smile adding itself to the glint.
Eriol swallowed, then nodded, barely able to breathe.
The expression resolved into a softer one, and Sakura took his hands in her own as she stepped into him, resting her head on his chest.
"I don't know my future any more than anyone else does... and I wouldn't have it any other way." She professed quietly, her breath a gentle whisper against the fabric of his shirt.
"I think... I must be the luckiest man alive." Eriol replied, drawing her chin up so that she faced him. Then he pressed his lips against hers... and a whole new beginning blossomed into being.
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The End
Rozu
