Disclaimer: I don't own CCS or any of its characters.

Rays of Midnight

Eros

Dark Green eyes opened.

Her throat was burning, irritable. I'm thirsty...

Searing light peeked through parts of the black-out curtains that were on the right side of the room.

Pushing herself up from the bed took more effort than anticipated. Her muscles strained, was it only because this body wasn't hers? Her movements were slight as if she was trying to make sure her arms and legs were the proper length for how far she reached.

Sakura reached up to touch her own hair, her eyes wide and hesitant.

"I'm here again..." she whispered. Looking down at herself she couldn't help but sigh, a small elf girls body paled by the conversion. Shakily she stood up and struggled to walk to the mirror.

"You're up!" The voice sounded happy and enthusiastic.

She turned to Syaoran, his expression tender. Ahhh... It was a thought she couldn't help as her eyes swept over his physique. He was an incredibly handsome man and hadn't aged a day since the last time she saw him. It had been so long.

Saying nothing she reached over to him. "Ying-Fa...?" He asked walking toward her, noticing her ears he stilled. "Sakura." There was a bitter snap in his voice.

She let her hand drop, her mood souring. "I'm hungry." She stated making him flinch, then turned away. "Ying-Fa's body has been fed, you're just having impulse pangs. " He said easily turning his back to her. "Hurry up and get out of her, you're soiling her."

S-soiling her!? When she turned to make a comeback, he was gone.

There was an anger that rose and fell inside of her. She wanted to be mad at him for not jumping for joy at the knowledge that she was back, he hated that he preferred the new woman. Looking at her own hands, her eyes traced over to the lingering rays of the light.

If she wasn't so terrified of the nothingness. She would walk into the sun.

He didn't deserve to be with someone else. He had told her that she was his one and only, so why did he move on given the time? Why didn't he stay mourning her forever? To jump at the chance of her return?

He belongs to me. She sighed, turning to the mirror. The girl that looked back was small and deathly pale. "I've heard gossip of you looking different," Sakura told Ying-Fa's body. She motioned her arm up with difficulty, stretching her fingers out with added grace, it was easier to move the longer she was conscious. "Your skin isn't like mine, even our ears and hair are different." She observed in a light tone.

"You can talk to her?"

Sakura blinked, turning a voice that she didn't recognize. "Hmnnn?" She raised her eyebrows.

The man that stood in her doorway was tall, his midnight blue hair- a shaggy disheveled mess on his head. Not bad… she thought, her eyes tracing over him.

"Who might you be?" She asked instead, perching a hand on her hip. "Hiiragizawa." He offered, stepping into her room, "The former in that body and I share a close friendship."

She nodded in understanding and turned, uninterested. "We don't communicate well with each other unless this body is resting." She explained reaching for a comb. "Otherwise when I'm here, she isn't."

She started to fix her hair.

"So you have met her." Eriol sounded amused.

Sakura waved off his comment, "I've seen her memories, she's a dreadfully cheery thing." She sounded bored, "Always fawning over my Syaoran as if she was a puppy."

Eriol crossed his arms over his chest, " Jealous?"

She shot him a look that made him put his hands up in resignation, "There's nothing to be jealous of." She said easily while turning back to the mirror, commencing on applying makeup. "The only reason he fell for her is that she has my soul."

Eriol blinked.

" The caveat that we currently face is why our Kinomoto keeps being possessed." Tomoyo's head peeked through the door frame. It had been a while since they've seen each other, even when Sakura had come back. Things felt strange and forced, their friendship had suffered and because of the change, Tomoyo wasn't able to properly apologize to Ying-Fa yet.

Sakura lifted an eyebrow at Tomoyo. It was slightly unnerving to see how similar this creature looked like her former self. "Who might you be?"

Tomoyo leaned up and gave her a whiff, " So Strange..Hmn you smell nothing like Kinomoto." She said with a disapproving grunt, dodging an intended hit with ease. "How dare you approach me with such informality!"

"The names Daidouji." She said bluntly. "And you're just a visitor, and an unwelcome guest at that, so maybe you should show more manners." It wasn't a suggestion.

There was a strange numbing shiver that ran up Sakura's spine when Tomoyo's eyes met hers. "Hmph.." Was all she could manage while turning back to the mirror, resuming to apply her makeup.

"That's the first time I've ever seen anyone make her shut up." There was laughter in Meilin's voice. Sakura ignored her.

"Usually she'd just go crying to Syaoran and make whoever was bullying her apologize." She sauntered over to Eriol, leaning one hand on his shoulder. Tomoyo observed this action of her touching him but made no comment on it. " Li and she aren't really on friendly terms… or any terms actually, when Ying-Fa steps out, so does he."

"I'm surprised he can tell the difference."

"Everyone can tell the difference." Eriol said flatly, "She's water and you're oil."

Once she was done, she looked at her handy work. "Now clothes." She mumbled, "There must be something that suits this poorly bred body."

Meilin made a 'tch' sound with her tongue. " You do realize you're in the body of an elf, a mythological creature of the forest?"

Eriol blinked, "That is true if anything the poorly bred ones would be us."

"I completely forgot that Kinomoto wasn't human."

Sakura stomped her foot on the floor, shutting everyone up. " I'm so tired of hearing about this woman. Don't you lot have anything else to occupy your time?" She said in a huff, then reached over and began undoing her clothing, Eriol's eyes widened and immediately turned his face showing embarrassment. Tomoyo rushed in and took hold of Sakura's hands, "What are you doing?"

"Dressing." Sakura snapped.

Meilin reached over and yanked at Sakura's hair so hard she yelped, making her eyes meet up with Meilins angry ones. "Hurry up and get out of her." She said low and angry, "Your shitty personality is making Ying-Fa hideous." She said and violently pushed Sakura back. "It hasn't even been that long and I'm already so damn tired of your attitude."

Meiling was gone. Eriol scoffed as Sakura picked herself up, " How incredibly rude. Even for it being the body of someone you supposedly care for. How did this girl manage to slither into this household." She spoke under her breath. "Even go as far as bewitching my Syaoran..."

Tomoyo shrugged, "The owner of that body was Yelan-Li's ward when Li met her. After he did though... he couldn't help but fall in love with her." Tomoyo spoke gentle, reaching over and helping her stand.

"At first I thought it was because both of you had the same name and that your eyes were the same color." Sakura huffed and looked away from her.

"I quickly realized that it wasn't the case." She said while fixing up the hair that Meilin had messed up, "Li genuinely fell in love with the girl in that body."

Eriol let out a sigh, "Gomen, I came here to talk to someone else. Sumimasen." He made his way out of the room excusing himself. Tomoyo followed behind.

Sakura walked out of her room, parasol in hand. They thought...

she was awake.

The soft click-clacks of high heel shoes echoed through the halls. In a blink, she found herself outside.

She stiffened.

Time had flowed through and away from her briefly, she didn't have much control over her consciousness. She was slowly more present for longer, but she'd taper off eventually.

It was longer this time though. An hour so far of continuous consciousness.

This body is mine, but it isn't. Memories that are me but not me are swimming in circles in my mind. Sakura leaned her chin into her open palm, allowing her eyes to close. My body was never this small...

She tried her best to stay quiet, usually, when she shifted into another persona, the group around her would become cautious, watching her actions with nervous intensity. The owner of this vessel doesn't have an elegant bone in her body. She owns a filthy cat that's somehow been turned.

She found herself in the garden now, her form shaded by a parasol. Hesitantly, she took inched her glove down a little and leaned it out from under the shade fo the parasol, letting her skin touch the sunlight. This body survived the conversion, but the power of immunity that this girl has for some reason...

The skin the light touched began to bubble and blister. With a jolt she pulled her hand back suddenly, wincing from the sudden burn. Doesn't work with me...

She felt a little faint from the pain, rubbing the back of her hand gingerly. "So it's still you in there. " It had been over 3 hours now.

Sakura turned to face Li, he was currently standing in the sun by the fountain far behind her. "You're certainly keeping your distance." She pouted, noticing his skin give off a lively hue, he even smelled different from the usual scent he gave off. It smelled almost sweet. " I fail to see why you engage with a girl of such... mediocre breeding." She sighed delicately patting the back of her head to make sure that her hair was still pristinely in place. He never realized how restrained Sakura was. Everything about her was on a constant suppression, especially her emotions. Had she always been that way?

Seeing her act in such a way while possessing the woman that was dear to him. To see Ying-Fa act this way.. it was painful.

"You've changed quite a bit." She said standing, her back erect. Her parasol twirled as she eyed him, her hand resting on her cheek lightly in a pensive gesture. "We use to be inseparable and now you have me at such an undesirable distance."

"There is no, 'we' anymore. There is you, an unwelcome specter that forces your consciousness into the woman that I love."

Her eyes flared for a moment but normalized immediately. She opened up a collapsible fan and began to fan herself with it vigorously. "Talking about such things is indecent. You were never this forward before." She snapped in a low tone.

"You died." He stated while crossing his arms over his chest. "You chose to die."

Sakura rolled her eyes, "I'm not dead anymore. I'm right here and turned. I can just as easily remain in this body and we can live out our eternity together just as we pla-"

Syaoran's jaw flexed. He was getting pissed, "In what world do you think it's morally acceptable to take over someone else's existence?" His voice was rising, "It's not your body, it's not your life, and it sure as fuck isn't going to mean we are together because we aren't. I'm in love with Ying-Fa, I'm marrying Ying-Fa."

She waved him off as if she was swatting away a fly, "You don't know what you want, you never have. You were always attaching yourself to someone with a weaker constitution than yours. I understand that it made you feel superior." She said in an almost tender tone, "You don't love her, there's no conceivable way." She covered her mouth in a small laugh that was almost musical. She stilled as she smelled herself slightly, no matter how often she'd bathed there was a lingering smell, one that bothered her to her very core.

"This body reeks of mingled smells, no matter how often I bathe when I wake up I never seem to get this stench off me." She complained absently. "What could it be..."

His neck reddened, "Not that you'd be accustomed to the smell of sex, but I take great pleasure in making Ying-Fa's body smell that way."

Sakura visibly flinched, then played it off as she allowed a small scoff to escape her lips. "You mean to tell me that you enjoy touching.. this?" She looked at her open palms. She ignored his sigh, her tone sounded unconvinced " My body was far more appealing-" She was laughing when turned to him, "Than thi-"

His look silenced her. She leaned one arm on her hip and looked to the side, the rays of sunlight looked like fire. This entire world was so bright and in flames, like the surface of the sun. It was bearable but highly unpleasant. Grin and bear it... She held in her discomfort and forced a smile. Without fail she'd endure, so that's what she did, always.

The reality of it was that seeing him there bothered her. It bothered her because he wasn't there for her. He was out here because he was worried about Ying-Fa, "How did you meet her?" Her tone was light.

She wasn't looking at him, busying herself by adjusting the ruffles on her dress.

Jealousy evident in her tone, it was difficult to keep her voice even and nonchalant. " She started off as a servant." The warmth in his voice caused her to look at him.

Syaoran hated seeing this woman wear Ying-Fa's face. Ying-Fa would never make such a face, a look of disgust in such an exaggerated way, disbelief and so much emotion over such a pitiful and trivial sentence. " The help?"

He glared at her. "Don't."

He stopped when he noticed her hand dart up to stroke her temple, then begin to sway forward. Her form tipped back and fell into a messy sitting position on the porcelain bench, parasol falling to the side. "!" He stopped himself from approaching until noticed the sun touch her skin. Her elf ears coming into view.

When Sakura looked back at him she blinked her eyes a few times, hand still holding the side of her forehead. "Hoeee?" She said sounding a little alarmed as she looked at her surroundings.

Ying-Fa… He couldn't help himself, he didn't even notice himself, his body moved on its own toward her, wrapping his arms around her from behind, inhaling.

There you are.

Far down, underneath the strong odor of perfume, he found her pure fragrance. His hold tightened, earning a small squeak from her. "L-li-kun?" Yes...

"Welcome back. " He spoke into her ear softly, she shuttered. She turned to him her face scarlet, caught completely off guard. "Li..we're outside..." She said bashfully, completely distracted by his actions, he was pleased to see her fighting off a crooked smile from showing on her face.

Speaking of outside...

"How did I..." She looked at herself and froze feeling constricted suddenly, "What am I wearing?" She faced him struggling to move due to the corset underneath her dress. Standing up she realized she was wearing heels. Her face felt heavy with makeup, and the smell of her own perfume made her feel dizzy.

"I need a bath." She breathed and took the pin out of her hair, letting it tumble loose, framing her lovely face. Wobbling over to the fountain she reached over and wet one of her gloved hands, then proceeded to wipe her face with it. Ruining the perfectly white glove.

His eyes followed her every movement. She failed to see the longing in them, how he was looking at her, how he's always looked at her.

"You've smeared it all over your face." Li chortled looking amused, without thinking he reached over cupping her face with both palms and began to wipe her over blushed cheeks with his thumbs.

She felt his face getting too close.

I don't look like myself right now... it was a thought she couldn't control, but she pushed back against his chest slightly. "Li-kun?" She looked up and him, he was still busy cleaning off her make-up. "Hai."

She made a move to climb up the edge of the fountain, kicking off her heels as she did so. Syaoran helped her balance herself reflexively, "What are you doing Ying-"

Splash

He could only watch her as she stood up, taking off the other glove and cleaning herself off. Laughing off her embarrassment for jumping into a fountain, she let out a small sigh. Their eyes met again.

She stilled, he noticed her face change from worried, to a somber expression, then he noticed her lip quiver slightly.

Before she could do anything else, Li's feet were climbing the fountain as well. His hands reaching to encircled her in his arms.

He held her there for a while.

"Talk to me." You look like you're about to cry.

Her fists clenched and released. She reached up to tug on his shirt which was becoming moist due to her being wet. She faced him, she inhaled and exhaled.

" Touya is avoiding me." Her eyes met his.

" Everyone except you is walking on eggshells around me every single time I come of this..." She searched for the right word, "This... somnolence..." She started, he noticed her eyes becoming glassy. "There's a distance that I'm starting to feel.."

Her shoulders slumping, voice becoming shaky. " I don't think I could handle it if we were to become distant-"

Cold lips enveloped her own. "!"

His fingers wound in her hair while he forced his tongue through her teeth. She made a noise while he kissed her with a gentle aggression, she melted against him almost instantly.

Her lips felt swollen when he released them, his other hand held her waist to his, molding her body into his. His breathing was somehow labored, "There is not one way I can tell you in all sincerity the unfathomable measure of affection I have for you."

Uaahhh... He moved a bit of wet hair away from her face. " ' I love you', somehow sounds too cheap to convey my tenderness.."

"(/)"

" Unfortunately, It's all I can come up with to define my feelings toward you."

She stayed silent, face pink. "So... don't be stupid." He leaned down and pressed his forehead against hers, looking deeply into her eyes. "There is no way in hell, we would ever become distant." He promised.

"Li... " She smiled brightly at him, throwing her arms around his neck, " I love you too."

They don't even compare... He thought to return her embrace, same soul but such a gargantuan difference in the personality.

"We're going to get through this." He told her simply while stroking her hair.

After a moment he released her, turned and began to climb out of the fountain. Walking forward, their fingers intertwining with a familiar reflex that he's come to appreciate when Ying-Fa was present.

They made their way through the garden, walking toward the stone stairs of the estate, descending in a zig-zag pattern to the road. "Where are we going?" She asked. His hand tightened around hers slightly, "For a walk."

He turned to give her a boyish smile, " Could use some airing out, right?"

Sakura puffed her cheeks but said nothing. It never bothered her walking barefoot unless it was a hard surface like the pavement or the dirt road. They were a long way from the small developing city below, she hadn't been really paying attention to the passage of time, but she was aware that a large chunk of time had passed. She was almost afraid to investigate as to how much time...

Ignoring the growing annoyance in her heart, she pushed Li further down the steps, but before he could question the sudden push she had jumped on his back. He scoffed, " No warning." The comment was gruff, but his smile betrayed his tone. "If you keep abusing me like this I'm going to have to punish you."

Sakura hugged him tightly, kissing his cheek as best she could. " I'm counting on it."

Odd thoughts pulsed through him, he hadn't realized it before how easily they flirted and touched. It was so natural that whenever she reverted back to herself he always held a special appreciation for it.

It also brought him back to thoughts of his former lover.

"Li...?" She asked

The forest surrounding their estate was massive, and would probably stay hidden for centuries to come. Instinctively Sakura took the lead as the forest came closer, and made her way to the grassy mounds. Even though she was no longer part of that world anymore, she couldn't help being drawn to it.

"I want to go for a swim then." She murmured stepping over branches and twigs. Running her fingers along the bark of trees every so often. He let her fingers slip away from his.

Syaoran loved to watch her, how she walked and moved. When Ying-Fa was in her element she moved with a fluid grace that mesmerized him. He noticed that her form was quite small, but her hair was the shade it should be, her skin was slightly paler than before she turned, but she didn't look sick.

"Ying-Fa."

She turned to him, smiling. "Hai?"

He reached toward her, his hand stretched out. She walked to him, both her palms wrapping around his big hand, "What is it?"

" I want to make love to you."

He noticed her face flush, her entire body lit up, her eyes sparkled. His face caught a red hue, he felt uncomfortable keeping eye contact with her suddenly, if he kept contact, he didn't know what he would do.

Instead of answering him, she took his hand and pulled him to her closely, until their faces became so close they meshed, closer still until his arms reached around her back, crushing her chest against his.

His need pulsed.

"L-li…" She whispered once he released her mouth, her eyes held a dark glint to them now. "Li..…" She said in a soft hush while his hands traced up her dress, she wanted to tell him how much she loved him, how much she wanted him to touch her more, but her voice wasn't working, her brain wasn't sending the right signals.

His mouth found hers again, this time his tongue delved in deeper. The moan muffled by his mouth sent a pleasing vibration over his tongue. He wanted all of her, to consume her.

He was helpless when he took her then, she wasn't fighting him at all either. Her hands tracing over his chest while she undid his pants, he pressed her up against one of the many trees, hitching up her dress enough to-

"A-AGH-"

He had entered her too quickly. He covered his mouth with hers, pinning her against the tree while he sunk into her deeply to the hilt.

He groaned, his body shuttered deliciously.

His tip was kissing her cervix.

He bit his lip, leaning back slightly, eyes closed in rapture. "Y-Ying-Fa…" He breathed grabbing her hips, pulling himself almost all the way out. He leaned down to see himself plummet into her deeply and slowly. Ying-fa….he couldn't help but chant her name inside, his mind was going blank.

He reached over and held her face with one hand, his thumb tracing her lips as her breathy exhales matched with the rhythm of his pumping. He could hear her struggle to completely take him in her breathing, he could feel it in how tight she was.

She leaning in and licked his chin, her mouth searching for his. "Suki.." She whispered, which made him gasp slightly. His cock stiffened further after hearing her words. I'll give you everything…

He began to move faster. "Ah- L-L-Li-ah!" He silenced her volume with his mouth again, pressing in further against her. All of me… He thought his eyes lust ridden while he grabbed at her hips with one hand and holding her shoulder with the other, pressing her down onto him further, rougher. More... Everything I have...

She shivered and spasmed slightly. "S-something is coming…!" She whispered while he covered her mouth with his again. I'll pour everything I have… into you…

Both his hands moved to her hips now, he was pushing into her, his head down against her forehead, both mouths open, eyes bore into each other. "I-I'm going to-"

There was a small light that shone in the back of his eyes, neither noticed it but Sakura's feet weren't touching the floor. She was floating.

"A-AAAAhh-"

His lips covered her mouth, swallowing her orgasm. His eyes rolled back as he shut them. "NNNnnnggg!"

They came together, hard.

They weren't breathing hard because they were tired. He wasn't winded at all, but he felt his heart hammering inside of his chest.

His body pulsed.

He pulled out, half hard. I want to do it again...He thought, his face scarlet, then looked down at her face. His heart warmed. She looked breathless and content, her smile was one of satisfaction and peace.

A goofy expression touched his face, still, inside of her, he thrust in slightly making her moan out to him. "You really enjoyed that, didn't you? You little pervert."

He meant to tease her, when she responded to his movement by bucking her hips he felt his legs wobble, a sound escaping his throat as well.

Sakura leaned in and licked his Adam's apple, her tongue gliding lightly over it as he 'gulped'. "It jumped.." She whispered, her eyes gliding up to meet his. Instead of saying anything more she began to grind against him again. Nnnghhnn… damn it…. He couldn't even tease her anymore, he was too turned on.

I love you...