syaoran's birthday 3

Syaoran no Tanjoubi (Syaoran's Birthday)

Three: Alcohol Is A Many Splendour Thing AKA Wolves Can't Drink

On the night of 13th July, Li Syaoran was feeling good.

It was only natural, considering that he'd come home to a surprise birthday party which included a two-tier chocolate cake that melted in one's mouth. Tomoyo and Rika had definitely outdone themselves.

By now the food had mostly been finished, and everyone was sprawled around the living room talking. He closed his eyes, basking in the comfort of a full stomach.

And Sakura was sitting beside him, hand lightly brushing his.

For now, life was perfect.

"Li-kun?" He opened his eyes to see Yamazaki holding out a cup to him. The joker's hat on his head drooped sideways. "Want some punch?"

He took the cup and sniffed it. There was a faint fragrance of grapes and some fruit he couldn't name. "Thanks." The punch was drained in a gulp; it was sweet and bitter-cool on his tongue and left a pleasantly tingling sensation. He swallowed, licking his lips.

"Like some more?" Yamazaki blandly inquired, lifting up the pitcher.

For some reason, he was starting to feel a little light-headed. And warm. But that didn't matter. "Yes."

He drank 4 cups in quick succession, and would have asked for an fifth if Yamazaki hadn't coughed, exchanged a glance with Eriol and said that he'd already finished all the punch there was.

"But I made two pitchers of punch," Tomoyo said, rising to her feet. "Isn't there another one in the kitchen?"

"No." Yamazaki said a little too quickly. "We've already finished both."

Chiharu eyes him suspiciously. "I'm sure we only drank one just now." Sakura nodded, looking at him in surprise.

Eriol cleared his throat. "Yamazaki-kun and I finished the other pitcher."

"Then what did Syaoran-kun drink just now?" Sakura asked in confusion.

From beside her, a faint hiccup sounded.

All eyes fixed themselves onto a Syaoran with glazed eyes and a very red face.

"Oh no you didn't," Naoko breathed.

"I thought I made you get rid of that wine," Chiharu said slowly, fixing Yamazaki with a dangerous stare.

Yamazaki looked at the ceiling. "I brought another bottle"

"Yamazaki-kun, how could you?" a distressed Sakura exclaimed. She waved a hand in front of the groggy boy beside her. "Syaoran-kun! Are you all right?"

"..ungh"

"Li-kun, daijobu?" Tomoyo asked anxiously.

"S-sakurah?" Syaoran blinked fuzzily at all of them.

Without warning, his eyes suddenly narrowed to clouded slits of amber. He hauled himself out of the sofa and lurched unsteadily towards -

"Why is he walking to Hiiragizawa-kun?" Rika asked in bewilderment.

Syaoran plunked his hands on his hips and glared fiercely - or as fierce as one could look with a cherry-red face, rumpled hair and bleary eyes anyway. "I'sh been washing you," he slurred in a growly voice.

"Washing you?" Sakura whispered to Tomoyo.

"Watching you," Tomoyo whispered back.

"That's nice," Eriol said calmly, a smile on his face.

"Don'sh you play gamesh wish me, you -" he stumbled, and was only saved from kissing the floor by Eriol catching hold of his arms. Syaoran made a cursory attempt to shake him off, but soon gave it up. "I'sh seen you looking at Shakurah like that beforeknow you're up to no goodsh"

"Hoe?" Sakura squeaked.

"You'sh better get the hellsh away from her, or I'll"

"You'll what?" Eriol asked gently, a suspicious twitch at the corner of his mouth.

Syaoran was practically pushing his face into Eriol's by now. "Sakhura's MINE, you hear? You'sh keep your handsh off her or..or"

"I promise I won't touch a single hair on her head," Eriol solemnly replied. Syaoran peered at him foggily. "Are you - hic! - makingsh fun of me?"

"Never."

"You'sh better make sureor I'll take my swordsh andyou's..." He hiccuped again, and pitched forward into Eriol's arms, out cold.

Eriol coughed.

"If you'll excuse me," he murmured, hefting his burden up and heading in the general direction of Syaoran's bedroom.

For a few moments, silence descended on the room.

"I didn't know he was such a lighthead," Yamazaki finally said in regret.

Chiharu's eyes held murder. "What is WRONG with you? He hasn't even hit adolescence, what else were you expecting?"

"I can hold out for ten cups."

"WHAT?"

While Chiharu proceeded to systematically beat Yamazaki up, Tomoyo turned to her best friend and sighed mournfully. "I should have brought my V8."

By that time Sakura was redder than Syaoran, or a fire engine for that matter. "T-Tomoyo-chan," she weakly protested.

"Actually, I think it was very sweet," Rika commented, trying to hold back a laugh. "I never knew Li-kun was jealous of Hiiragizawa-kun."

"B-buthe doesn't NEED to be jealous of Eriol-kun!" Sakura wailed.

"Apparently he doesn't know that," Naoko dryly pointed out. "But Rika's right, it was sweet. If Tomoyo had taped that down we'd have blackmail fodder for a year."

"Naoko-chan," Sakura said in despair.

"Maa," Tomoyo said placatingly. "You know Li-kun would never say something like that in public if he hadn't been drunk. Why don't we clear up now and leave him to sleep the wine off?"

"What price Li-kun will commit hara-kiri if we tell him what he just did tomorrow morning?"

"NAOKO-CHAN!"

~~~~

By degrees they got Syaoran's house cleaned up, and then Yamazaki and the other three girls took their leave. Tomoyo picked up her bag, then turned to Sakura anxiously. "Would you like me to stay with you?"

The other girl shook her head. "No need. It's late - your mother will be worried about you."

"But Sakura-chan"

"Onii-chan's staying at a friend's place, and Otou-san's at a convention in Kyoto." She gave Tomoyo a smile. "I'll be fine."

"If you're sure," Tomoyo said at last. She hugged her friend, and left.

"You're staying the night?" a soft voice asked behind her. Sakura nodded, knowing without turning who had spoken.

She felt rather than saw him smile. "Then Li-kun is in good hands. I'll be leaving now, Sakura-san." He bowed to her, heading towards the door.

"Eriol-kun!"

He turned back.

"Thank you for everything."

He returned her smile, and left.

~~~~

Yamazaki was waiting for him in the lobby when he got out of the lift.

"Yo, Hiiragizawa-kun," the other boy said affably. He slipped a hand into his bad and brought out both wine bottles. "There you go."

"Thanks, Yamazaki-kun."

"Don't mention it. We have a deal, right? I don't tell Kinomoto-san you loaned me the wine, and you don't tell Li-kun I got his whole performance down on *my* pocket V8 just now."

Eriol beamed.

Yamazaki beamed back. "We really understand each other, don't we?"

~~~~

Notes:

  1. It's dumb. I know that. And I'm sorry. -_-
  2. For what it's worth, this part is dedicated to Meg, Mei-chan, Jin and all the other insane E x S supporters out there. *whistle* Go figure...

--Syaoran no Miko