Chapter 3b:
And They're In
After the hysterics were through, they all went into the recreation room and played cards, checkers, etc. Sakura was sitting ('floating really…' Li thought), on the dark pinkish-red loveseat, watching the others with a wistful smile.
Tomoyo had just finished playing cards with the others (Li seemed a little distracted), and spotted Sakura looking so forlorn. She bounded over to her friend and plopped onto the couch beside her.
"Sakura-chan, why don't you play chess?" She queried, a plan already forming in her purple-hued head.
"Hoe?" Sakura was out of her reverie, her eyes focusing on Tomoyo.
"Oh… Well, I don't really want to play." Her voice was weak; she tried masking it with a smile. She missed beating Touya at checkers, losing in poker, playing chess for hours with her dad… she pushed the thoughts from her mind; it was too hard to keep on her smile and think of her home simultaneously. She sighed, a barely audible sound, meant for her ears alone.
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From the other side of the room, Li saw all this as it took place; he had watched as Sakura's aura flickered dimmer before her thoughts were interrupted. He knew she was sad… he just didn't know why. He also knew that she wouldn't appreciate his interrogating her to get to the root of her problem. He clenched his fist and looked away; there was nothing he could do to help his delicate flower.
Suddenly he was struck; he covered his smile and turned back to face Sakura. He knew what he'd do; and it could be fun too!
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"C'mon, Sakura, you're not telling me the truth," said Tomoyo, concern painting her face as she looked at her friend.
"I… I don't know what you mean…" Sakura looked away; somehow Tomoyo always knew when she wasn't telling the truth.
The silence grew more and more uncomfortable, neither of them saying anything, the only sounds May-chan and Meiling chatting.
"Hey."
"HOE!" 'Li-kun just talked to me… oh my… wow!' Sakura's eyes became starry as she processed her thoughts. She remembered what she'd thought earlier that week, about how she'd faint if Li every initiated conversation with her; she had to concentrate very hard to keep from swooning. As she fought her emotions for control, Tomoyo began to speak:
"Hey, Li-kun, why don't you and Sakura-chan play chess while us gals play bridge? Hmm? What do you think, Sakura?"
The stars went out of Sakura's eyes as she lowered her head, shaking it from side to side.
"I… Well… I can't," She said, never looking up from the floor. She was too depressed to play a game; even if it _was_ with *him*.
"Sakura! Why ever not!?" Tomoyo said, furrowing her brow in puzzlement.
"Because… because…" She didn't know what to say to her friend; she didn't have to:
"Because she's scared," Li said, a hint of challenge in his voice.
"Hoe!?" Sakura looked up at him, shocked. He simply turned his head, as if to say 'You know I'm right, don't waste my time.'
"How dare you! Fine, let's do it, but only so I can rub your face in it after I kick your sorry--"
"Alright, why don't you two go sit over there," Tomoyo broke in quickly, indicating the corner opposite of where the girls would be playing bridge.
Syaoran trained his gaze on Sakura; she glared back.
"You're on"
"Only if you're ready to lose, Li Syaoran."
They both 'humphed' and turned their noses up in opposite directions, crossing their arms over their chests.
Tomoyo sweat dropped.
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"Have they made a move YET?" questioned Meiling, craning her neck to view the 'heated' game of chess in the corner.
"Shhhh! They'll hear you! Anyway, I think Sakura-chan is about to go," said Tomoyo. Sakura had chosen the white pawns, Li the black, meaning that she would go first. 'Oh, that's so romantic! It's like Sakura is an Angel and Li-kun is her dark counter-part, trying to woo her… Oh hohoho! They're so kawaii!' Tomoyo clicked on her mini-vid, made to fit in the palm of her hand, so she could record 'moments' discreetly.
Sakura and Syaoran continued to glare at each other, their brows furrowing. Abruptly Sakura stopped glaring, closed her eyes, and uncrossed one arm. She let it hover over her rows of white, as if she were beginning an intricate magic spell. Syaoran unfurled his eyebrows, then furrowed them again in puzzlement. 'What the he--'
Suddenly Sakura seized a pawn, moving it forward two spaces. She crossed her arms back over her chest, a smug, satisfied smile painted on her face.
The three spectators sweat dropped.
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"Hah!" Syaoran exclaimed.
"I got your queen! Whatcha gonna do now, huh? Oh, and look, you've only got pawns left. Hahaha! Check and mate, by the way." Syaoran was dancing around in circles, elated by his apparent victory.
Sakura looked crestfallen. But she began to smile again, shaking her head, as if she were party to a secret that Syaoran could never know. Her smile widened; and widened more; soon she was rolling on the floor laughing.
"H-hey… you lost… what're you so happy about? I just beat you! Stop laughing! HEY!" Syaoran had stopped dancing. He was standing across the playing field from Sakura, looking puzzled.
Sakura composed her self and then, uncrossing her hands from her lap, eloquently lifted one finger.
"Your king is in check, so you can't move."
"Whattaya mean! Your stupid little pawn can't do anything to my king!"
Sakura held up a hand to stop his ranting. She then moved her pawn forward, took it off the board and replaced it with her queen.
"Huh!?"
"Check," Sakura said, smiling.
"Awww, no way!"
"Oh, yes way!"
Syaoran furrowed his brow, moving his king forward one space and out of harm's way.
Sakura then moved another piece forward, replacing it with a bishop.
"Check and mate," she said simply, smiling.
"How did… What did… Why did… WHAT?"
Sakura continued to smile.
"But I got your queen! I got your bishops, your rooks, your knights… I got your queen! I should have won!"
Sakura stopped smiling then.
"Don't you get it, Li?" Sakura asked. Li looked at her. Something in her eyes caught at his, something that commanded his gaze not to leave hers.
"You don't understand, do you? You were so busy trying to get all my big pieces, you completely ignored the little ones. It was easy to get all my pawns to the other side without being noticed; just because they seemed insignificant to you, you let them by. You can't judge something at a glance; you've got to think about it's potential, what it can do in the future."
Li kept looking at her but he soon dropped his gaze; Sakura walked out of the room, tossing something like "Kitchen… later," over her shoulder.
Li sank into his seat, staring dumbfounded at the floor. He sat, deep in thought, oblivious to the exit of the 3 other females.
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Sorry that the chapter was so short, but… did you REALLY think it was the end?
HELL NO!
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Sakura lay sprawled on the bed in her room. She hadn't realized there was only one; she and Li would have to sleep together; she'd deal with that when it came.
She thought of the time she had spent in the kitchen; If Kero were here, he would've been eating the vanilla pudding she'd found in the fridge and giving her advice, ticking off the top "327 reasons not to go near the gaki."
'Syaoran,' She thought. 'Will I ever understand you? You tell me that your feelings are none of my business; You help me with Terada-baka-sensei; You jump away from me; You carry my bags; you console me; and Kami-sama how you aggravate me! During dinner you were so open. But during chess you were so…' Sakura sighed, a mental and physical exertion. 'Different. Which one of you is real, Syaoran? How will I know?'
These thoughts accompanied her into her fitful sleep.
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Li trudged past the kitchen, toward his room. Even his feet protested the action, knowing that Sakura was there. Strange; he had always anticipated sleeping in the same room as that beautiful blossom, and now that it was a reality, he dreaded it. God, how he dreaded it. What could she possibly think of him? Her words followed him as he approached the cubical.
He remembered it all; the look that had impaled him; the quiver in her voice as she said those condemning words. She must be so upset with him. His eyebrows furrowed.
~ You don't understand, do you? ~
No, he didn't understand. He wanted to deny it. He'd wanted to deny it then; he just… couldn't. Because he really _didn't_ understand. He wanted to understand. He wanted _her_ to help him understand; how could he love this girl, this way-too-genki, 17-year-old girl that wore innocence as a body suit everywhere she went? Moreover, how could he TELL her that he loved her? That he'd always loved her. He didn't know.
He heaved a sigh. As his weary mind relaxed with his steady breathing, her words struck him again;
~ Just because they seemed insignificant to you, you let them by. ~
All those times that he'd seen her alone, walking home; All the times he'd seen her chatting happily as she left her huge group of friends; all those opportunities he'd had to confess; all those times he'd put off telling her for another day.
~ You can't judge something at a glance; you've got to think about its potential, what it can do in the future…~
::sigh:: He'd judged his love for her as hopeless; he'd stayed aloof, hoping not to break his own heart by baring its contents. But that was where it ended; there _was_ no future for his love; it couldn't do anything at all. ::sigh::
His leaden feet finally groaned to a halt; he was in front of his door. _Her_ door, he amended. What would he open this door to, at this ungodly hour.
Would he see her sitting on one of those plushy pillows, casting her gaze out the window? If he did, he would join her to watch a storm befitting both their moods. He hoped she wouldn't be.
Would she be sitting at the bureau, crying? God, he hoped not; if she were hurt because of him, he would have to hurt _himself_. He couldn't bear her tears, nor could he stand her unhappiness.
One million different scenarios barraged his mind; would he simply look at her, pretend he didn't care? She must think that already. Would she turn to him, give him a look of… what? What was she feeling?
One way to find out.
He slowly anchored open the door, sending a silent prayer to all the gods he could think of; his eyes scanned the room for signs of her. His gaze jumped to the window and the pillows on its ledge; nothing. His eyes darted to the bureau, searching for any sign of her; nothing. He regarded each individual pillow, checking for her presence; still, nothing. Finally, his eyes slid to the single bed, to meet a sight he was completely unprepared for;
Sakura was curled under the thick blanket, her head pillowed on her hands; her back was to him, but he could still make out her lithe form. She seemed okay, in an apparently peaceful sleep. He face faulted and fell over, his legs replacing where his head had been but a moment ago, a large sweat drop inching its way down his head. But he got up and sighed; what made him think she would give a damn about what he did?
He slowly walked to the bureau, dragging out his boxers, long, green-flannel pants, and a matching button up nightshirt. He cast a furtive glance at the flower, noting the way the moonlight made dazzling even the skin of her shoulder. He quickly shook his head to dispel the train of thought that invariably sucked him in. Instead, he grabbed his clothing, and, with a final surreptitious glance at the ethereal form on the bed, stepped into the dark hallway and approached the bathroom.
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Meiling tiptoed out of her room, careful not to disturb the slothfully sleeping videographer. Her softly slippered feet could sense the cool tile of the opulent hall underneath her as she headed toward the ornately carved front door.
She held her breath as she inched the door open; not a sound. She thanked Kami, sotto voce, for allowing her to exit the lodging without hindrance. She stealthily made her way toward a barely visible dirt path, winding through the trees.
She didn't know how long she'd been walking; she didn't care. The only thing that really mattered to her was that she got there in time to see him. She looked up, searching for the stars through that dark green seal of treetops; small points of light shot through the trees, creating a dim, dancing pattern across the carpet of green undergrowth surrounding the path. Not enough light to make out a compass face, but enough to light the road she knew she would take.
After passing countless tree trunks, there was a sudden change in scenery; where there had been tangled undergrowth, there was now well trimmed grass; the trees on all sides were pushed back in a circular clearing; there was a clump of 4 smooth trunked trees in the center, and in the middle of those, soft, mossy grass.
She scanned the clearing, her warrior instincts screaming at her to "Get out! Leave! NOW!"
She ignored them. As she approached the clearing, she kept up her defenses looking suspiciously at it all. Yes, she knew, this was his handiwork; she would commend him later. For the time, she simply stood in the soft growth.
She looked around; nature really was beautiful. The understated affluence of the place calmed her, putting down her guard. The cool mountain breeze rocked blades grass, like waves in the sea. The breeze lifted her hair, caressed her cheek. The breeze tickled her senses, engrossing them all at once. She sighed, closing her eyes as the air escaped her body.
The air in front of her thickened, taking on shape and color. The body of a man, one hand withdrawing from the warrior's cheek, materialized in front of her. The tingling sensation had left with his contact. Her eyes opened, widening in wonder, but she relaxed and smiled up at her love.
"Meiling…" His expression said all that his words did not, his eyes unguardedly tender.
"I missed you too, Yosho," she replied. He seemed troubled; he was holding himself back from something; she thought she knew what.
"You know, you don't have to be afraid to touch me; I'm not afraid to touch you, after all." She smiled. He seemed to snap; he stepped forward and scooped her into his arms, burying his face in her hair. He inhaled her scent, crushing her to his chest.
"I missed you; God, how I missed you!" He told her, kissing her forehead, her nose, both her cheeks. "If you knew, how I burned for you, how I yearned to touch you; How I love you, my princess, my queen, my heart." She closed her eyes and allowed herself to relax in his grip.
"And I told you already that I missed you," she said. She rose on her toes and hugged him closer, wrapping her arms around him.
"Wait." He said suddenly, looking about them. "I forget myself; a moment, my lady."
"A moment from you is an eternity," She replied, freeing herself from him.
He gave a rueful smile. "That it is," he said. He turned on his heels then, and walked once around their enclosure, whispering under his breath. The air shimmered with the magic he was calling; nature magic. He asked the winds to seal their words from the hearing of any but them.
"Now," he said. "As always, business before pleasure; how's this plan of yours going?" he queried.
She looked at him for a moment, then nodded and sighed. "It was going really well, I think, until after dinner in the game room."
"Oh?" He asked.
"Yes." She said. There were a few moments of silence before she looked up at him again. Feignedly irritated, she said, "Well, aren't you going to ask about what happened?"
"No," he replied easily.
She was shocked, and just a little angry at his reply. "Well, why not?"
He turned to her then, a mischievous grin playing on his regal face. "Because you're going to tell me anyway," he said, amusement in his gray eyes.
"Mou! Yosho!" Meiling turned huffily around, playfully awaiting his next move. She was glad that he had had some reason for his earlier answer. She crossed her arms over her chest.
Suddenly there were two hands at her elbows, warm breath on her neck. Her heart quickened slightly.
"Meiling," came a singsong whisper. A tingling shiver ran down her spine. She dropped her arms from their defensive position. Kami-sama, this man could work her buttons.
"Meiling," the voice said again. She closed her eyes as his lips brushed the skin of her neck, tilting her head to the side. He moved his hands from her elbows to the front of her night attire; he gripped her close to him with one hand, slipping under the bottom of her shirt to rest his other. The skin of her stomach tingled with the warmth of his touch. His finger traced the center of her waist, trailing its way down, down… His hand lighted on the pants to her set.
She turned in his embrace then, looking up at him. His eyes held her as he lowered his face to catch her lips. There was electric fire where their lips met, hunger and passion fused. Her hands traveled through his downy black curls. Her breath came faster, then caught when his wandering hand tugged at the top of her night pants.
"No," she said softly. "Not here, not now; not yet."
He stepped away from her, his breath catching in his throat. "I can't control myself when it comes to you! You drive me wild! You torture me, Mei. Your scent beckons me; your look bends me to your will; your touch, ah, that searing touch; how I yearn for it! My passion for you eats at me, burns me to my very soul!"
The revelation struck her; she'd had no idea what her effect on this man was. She had never even thought that she could affect him as he did herself, that she could make his body ache for her as she did for him. The knowledge quickened her pulse and flushed her cheeks. It opened her eyes and her heart.
"Yosho," he didn't look at her. "Yosho," she continued, "I… I… I love you…" She flushed, much like her cousin, as the words escaped her mouth. She looked away from his turning form, confused, embarrassed; more then a little apprehensive.
"You toy with me; you tell me what I dream, what I wish to hear;" He continued, more softly, with, "What I have wanted to hear for a lifetime."
She looked up at him, wide-eyed with any mixture of shock and elation. Every time that he had said the word love before, she had always thought he wanted something; now she knew, he had only wanted her to say it back.
She stepped forward, pushed herself up on her toes, wrapped her arms around his neck, and kissed him. This kiss was different from the ones that they'd had before; there was nothing hungry or urgent in it; no hormones driving its cause; simply love, spilling into and filling the one, who returned it to the other.
A while later, they reluctantly pulled away from one another; Meiling subconsciously touched a hand to her lips.
Her love smiled at her; "Now, then, what say we sit in this lovely grass while you tell me of all that life has battered you with?"
She returned his smile; "Let's shall."
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"Hmmm." Tomoyo made a soft noise in her sleep, turning over in her empty bed; Meiling had yet to return. Her dreams, however, held company better than any she'd had for a while; in her dreams, she was talking to Eriol Hiiragizawa.
It had all been carefully orchestrated, of course; the plush carpet with the peony theme; the glass table that she was presently lifting her tea from; the expensive armchair that she sat in, and its partner across from her. There was a fire going on the one side, a cool breeze blowing on the other; the area around them was a simple expanse of dark.
"So, Miss Tomoyo, how do you?" Eriol said, smiling over his tea.
She smiled back. "It's all going quite well, actually. I thank you for the whole black mail suggestion; I think it's really going to put a kink into Li's thinking of her as an innocent ten-year-old. At least, he'll notice that she's grown up on the outside." She grinned, sipping at her hibiscus tea.
"As have you, Miss Tomoyo," Eriol said as he lifted his teacup to his lips. She nearly spit hers out; it was not unusual to receive a compliment from Hiiragizawa Eriol, but never did he say anything so… direct.
She blushed a limpid red as she finally replied "Thank you…" He smiled innocently.
"Now, how are the living arrangements working out?" He smiled the 'I-hope-you're-torturing-my-cute-little-descendent-sufficiently-in-my-place' smile. She smiled her 'you-know-me-too-well' smile.
They continued to sip their tea in companionable silence before Eriol finally said "Well, I really should get back to my own body; it's hard to have carryon an out of body spell and sleep at once, you know." He smiled again, his eyes crinkling at the corners.
"Oyasumi, Hiiragizawa-kun, and sweet dreams," Tomoyo said, putting down her tea and sitting back in her armchair. Her hands played over the ornate wood that lined the armrest.
"Goodnight, Miss Tomoyo, and sweet my dreams shall be," He said, standing up with a smile. She watched as he walked away and his form disintegrated into the darkness of her mind. When his body had left her sight, she heard what she knew to be his voice in a faint whisper;
"I'm sure I'll dream of you."
She smiled as her cheeks pinked slightly.
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Soooooo? Whatcha think? You like Yosho? He's so… intense ^.^
Silverlight brought up a good point in her review; she said that blackmail seems more like Eriol's thang than Tomoyo's; I thought so too, but I had already had the scene you just read in mind at the outset; I hadn't known how to incorporate some ExT, but it struck me; HE'S GOT MAGIC!
Oh, and If you don't like Yosho…::sniffle… the first character that I don't have to disclaim and nobuddy likes 'im… sniff:: Say so and I'll… I dunno, I'll kill him or something ^.^ But I really think that Meiling should have sumbuddy, you know? I mean, most fics say "Syaoran got sick of that possessive bitch and dumped her". I have a soft spot for Meiling, and I think that even possessive hoydens deserve to find love… ^.^; call me a softie, I don't care ^.^
And about the whity tighties; uh, I couldn't think of a rhyme for boxers so… eh hehehe… err… what was I supposed to do? Soccer boxers? he can't have just ONE kinda boxer, you know!?!?!
REVIEW! And if you don't then… NO MORE POEMS! BWAHAHAHAHA!
Disclaimer: In honor of my supah fly, gray eyed Yosho, I DON'T own Sakura, Syaoran, Takashi, Chiharu, Meiling, Tomoyo, Eriol, Ayame, Ayane, Tenchu, Tenchi, Usagi, Darien, Molly, Nephrite, Zoisite, Malachite, Naoko, Rika, or Terada-sensei; I only own May-chan, Yosho-sama, and the kids that made dirty jokes in the back of the class.
And They're In
After the hysterics were through, they all went into the recreation room and played cards, checkers, etc. Sakura was sitting ('floating really…' Li thought), on the dark pinkish-red loveseat, watching the others with a wistful smile.
Tomoyo had just finished playing cards with the others (Li seemed a little distracted), and spotted Sakura looking so forlorn. She bounded over to her friend and plopped onto the couch beside her.
"Sakura-chan, why don't you play chess?" She queried, a plan already forming in her purple-hued head.
"Hoe?" Sakura was out of her reverie, her eyes focusing on Tomoyo.
"Oh… Well, I don't really want to play." Her voice was weak; she tried masking it with a smile. She missed beating Touya at checkers, losing in poker, playing chess for hours with her dad… she pushed the thoughts from her mind; it was too hard to keep on her smile and think of her home simultaneously. She sighed, a barely audible sound, meant for her ears alone.
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From the other side of the room, Li saw all this as it took place; he had watched as Sakura's aura flickered dimmer before her thoughts were interrupted. He knew she was sad… he just didn't know why. He also knew that she wouldn't appreciate his interrogating her to get to the root of her problem. He clenched his fist and looked away; there was nothing he could do to help his delicate flower.
Suddenly he was struck; he covered his smile and turned back to face Sakura. He knew what he'd do; and it could be fun too!
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"C'mon, Sakura, you're not telling me the truth," said Tomoyo, concern painting her face as she looked at her friend.
"I… I don't know what you mean…" Sakura looked away; somehow Tomoyo always knew when she wasn't telling the truth.
The silence grew more and more uncomfortable, neither of them saying anything, the only sounds May-chan and Meiling chatting.
"Hey."
"HOE!" 'Li-kun just talked to me… oh my… wow!' Sakura's eyes became starry as she processed her thoughts. She remembered what she'd thought earlier that week, about how she'd faint if Li every initiated conversation with her; she had to concentrate very hard to keep from swooning. As she fought her emotions for control, Tomoyo began to speak:
"Hey, Li-kun, why don't you and Sakura-chan play chess while us gals play bridge? Hmm? What do you think, Sakura?"
The stars went out of Sakura's eyes as she lowered her head, shaking it from side to side.
"I… Well… I can't," She said, never looking up from the floor. She was too depressed to play a game; even if it _was_ with *him*.
"Sakura! Why ever not!?" Tomoyo said, furrowing her brow in puzzlement.
"Because… because…" She didn't know what to say to her friend; she didn't have to:
"Because she's scared," Li said, a hint of challenge in his voice.
"Hoe!?" Sakura looked up at him, shocked. He simply turned his head, as if to say 'You know I'm right, don't waste my time.'
"How dare you! Fine, let's do it, but only so I can rub your face in it after I kick your sorry--"
"Alright, why don't you two go sit over there," Tomoyo broke in quickly, indicating the corner opposite of where the girls would be playing bridge.
Syaoran trained his gaze on Sakura; she glared back.
"You're on"
"Only if you're ready to lose, Li Syaoran."
They both 'humphed' and turned their noses up in opposite directions, crossing their arms over their chests.
Tomoyo sweat dropped.
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"Have they made a move YET?" questioned Meiling, craning her neck to view the 'heated' game of chess in the corner.
"Shhhh! They'll hear you! Anyway, I think Sakura-chan is about to go," said Tomoyo. Sakura had chosen the white pawns, Li the black, meaning that she would go first. 'Oh, that's so romantic! It's like Sakura is an Angel and Li-kun is her dark counter-part, trying to woo her… Oh hohoho! They're so kawaii!' Tomoyo clicked on her mini-vid, made to fit in the palm of her hand, so she could record 'moments' discreetly.
Sakura and Syaoran continued to glare at each other, their brows furrowing. Abruptly Sakura stopped glaring, closed her eyes, and uncrossed one arm. She let it hover over her rows of white, as if she were beginning an intricate magic spell. Syaoran unfurled his eyebrows, then furrowed them again in puzzlement. 'What the he--'
Suddenly Sakura seized a pawn, moving it forward two spaces. She crossed her arms back over her chest, a smug, satisfied smile painted on her face.
The three spectators sweat dropped.
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"Hah!" Syaoran exclaimed.
"I got your queen! Whatcha gonna do now, huh? Oh, and look, you've only got pawns left. Hahaha! Check and mate, by the way." Syaoran was dancing around in circles, elated by his apparent victory.
Sakura looked crestfallen. But she began to smile again, shaking her head, as if she were party to a secret that Syaoran could never know. Her smile widened; and widened more; soon she was rolling on the floor laughing.
"H-hey… you lost… what're you so happy about? I just beat you! Stop laughing! HEY!" Syaoran had stopped dancing. He was standing across the playing field from Sakura, looking puzzled.
Sakura composed her self and then, uncrossing her hands from her lap, eloquently lifted one finger.
"Your king is in check, so you can't move."
"Whattaya mean! Your stupid little pawn can't do anything to my king!"
Sakura held up a hand to stop his ranting. She then moved her pawn forward, took it off the board and replaced it with her queen.
"Huh!?"
"Check," Sakura said, smiling.
"Awww, no way!"
"Oh, yes way!"
Syaoran furrowed his brow, moving his king forward one space and out of harm's way.
Sakura then moved another piece forward, replacing it with a bishop.
"Check and mate," she said simply, smiling.
"How did… What did… Why did… WHAT?"
Sakura continued to smile.
"But I got your queen! I got your bishops, your rooks, your knights… I got your queen! I should have won!"
Sakura stopped smiling then.
"Don't you get it, Li?" Sakura asked. Li looked at her. Something in her eyes caught at his, something that commanded his gaze not to leave hers.
"You don't understand, do you? You were so busy trying to get all my big pieces, you completely ignored the little ones. It was easy to get all my pawns to the other side without being noticed; just because they seemed insignificant to you, you let them by. You can't judge something at a glance; you've got to think about it's potential, what it can do in the future."
Li kept looking at her but he soon dropped his gaze; Sakura walked out of the room, tossing something like "Kitchen… later," over her shoulder.
Li sank into his seat, staring dumbfounded at the floor. He sat, deep in thought, oblivious to the exit of the 3 other females.
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Sorry that the chapter was so short, but… did you REALLY think it was the end?
HELL NO!
***************
Sakura lay sprawled on the bed in her room. She hadn't realized there was only one; she and Li would have to sleep together; she'd deal with that when it came.
She thought of the time she had spent in the kitchen; If Kero were here, he would've been eating the vanilla pudding she'd found in the fridge and giving her advice, ticking off the top "327 reasons not to go near the gaki."
'Syaoran,' She thought. 'Will I ever understand you? You tell me that your feelings are none of my business; You help me with Terada-baka-sensei; You jump away from me; You carry my bags; you console me; and Kami-sama how you aggravate me! During dinner you were so open. But during chess you were so…' Sakura sighed, a mental and physical exertion. 'Different. Which one of you is real, Syaoran? How will I know?'
These thoughts accompanied her into her fitful sleep.
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Li trudged past the kitchen, toward his room. Even his feet protested the action, knowing that Sakura was there. Strange; he had always anticipated sleeping in the same room as that beautiful blossom, and now that it was a reality, he dreaded it. God, how he dreaded it. What could she possibly think of him? Her words followed him as he approached the cubical.
He remembered it all; the look that had impaled him; the quiver in her voice as she said those condemning words. She must be so upset with him. His eyebrows furrowed.
~ You don't understand, do you? ~
No, he didn't understand. He wanted to deny it. He'd wanted to deny it then; he just… couldn't. Because he really _didn't_ understand. He wanted to understand. He wanted _her_ to help him understand; how could he love this girl, this way-too-genki, 17-year-old girl that wore innocence as a body suit everywhere she went? Moreover, how could he TELL her that he loved her? That he'd always loved her. He didn't know.
He heaved a sigh. As his weary mind relaxed with his steady breathing, her words struck him again;
~ Just because they seemed insignificant to you, you let them by. ~
All those times that he'd seen her alone, walking home; All the times he'd seen her chatting happily as she left her huge group of friends; all those opportunities he'd had to confess; all those times he'd put off telling her for another day.
~ You can't judge something at a glance; you've got to think about its potential, what it can do in the future…~
::sigh:: He'd judged his love for her as hopeless; he'd stayed aloof, hoping not to break his own heart by baring its contents. But that was where it ended; there _was_ no future for his love; it couldn't do anything at all. ::sigh::
His leaden feet finally groaned to a halt; he was in front of his door. _Her_ door, he amended. What would he open this door to, at this ungodly hour.
Would he see her sitting on one of those plushy pillows, casting her gaze out the window? If he did, he would join her to watch a storm befitting both their moods. He hoped she wouldn't be.
Would she be sitting at the bureau, crying? God, he hoped not; if she were hurt because of him, he would have to hurt _himself_. He couldn't bear her tears, nor could he stand her unhappiness.
One million different scenarios barraged his mind; would he simply look at her, pretend he didn't care? She must think that already. Would she turn to him, give him a look of… what? What was she feeling?
One way to find out.
He slowly anchored open the door, sending a silent prayer to all the gods he could think of; his eyes scanned the room for signs of her. His gaze jumped to the window and the pillows on its ledge; nothing. His eyes darted to the bureau, searching for any sign of her; nothing. He regarded each individual pillow, checking for her presence; still, nothing. Finally, his eyes slid to the single bed, to meet a sight he was completely unprepared for;
Sakura was curled under the thick blanket, her head pillowed on her hands; her back was to him, but he could still make out her lithe form. She seemed okay, in an apparently peaceful sleep. He face faulted and fell over, his legs replacing where his head had been but a moment ago, a large sweat drop inching its way down his head. But he got up and sighed; what made him think she would give a damn about what he did?
He slowly walked to the bureau, dragging out his boxers, long, green-flannel pants, and a matching button up nightshirt. He cast a furtive glance at the flower, noting the way the moonlight made dazzling even the skin of her shoulder. He quickly shook his head to dispel the train of thought that invariably sucked him in. Instead, he grabbed his clothing, and, with a final surreptitious glance at the ethereal form on the bed, stepped into the dark hallway and approached the bathroom.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Meiling tiptoed out of her room, careful not to disturb the slothfully sleeping videographer. Her softly slippered feet could sense the cool tile of the opulent hall underneath her as she headed toward the ornately carved front door.
She held her breath as she inched the door open; not a sound. She thanked Kami, sotto voce, for allowing her to exit the lodging without hindrance. She stealthily made her way toward a barely visible dirt path, winding through the trees.
She didn't know how long she'd been walking; she didn't care. The only thing that really mattered to her was that she got there in time to see him. She looked up, searching for the stars through that dark green seal of treetops; small points of light shot through the trees, creating a dim, dancing pattern across the carpet of green undergrowth surrounding the path. Not enough light to make out a compass face, but enough to light the road she knew she would take.
After passing countless tree trunks, there was a sudden change in scenery; where there had been tangled undergrowth, there was now well trimmed grass; the trees on all sides were pushed back in a circular clearing; there was a clump of 4 smooth trunked trees in the center, and in the middle of those, soft, mossy grass.
She scanned the clearing, her warrior instincts screaming at her to "Get out! Leave! NOW!"
She ignored them. As she approached the clearing, she kept up her defenses looking suspiciously at it all. Yes, she knew, this was his handiwork; she would commend him later. For the time, she simply stood in the soft growth.
She looked around; nature really was beautiful. The understated affluence of the place calmed her, putting down her guard. The cool mountain breeze rocked blades grass, like waves in the sea. The breeze lifted her hair, caressed her cheek. The breeze tickled her senses, engrossing them all at once. She sighed, closing her eyes as the air escaped her body.
The air in front of her thickened, taking on shape and color. The body of a man, one hand withdrawing from the warrior's cheek, materialized in front of her. The tingling sensation had left with his contact. Her eyes opened, widening in wonder, but she relaxed and smiled up at her love.
"Meiling…" His expression said all that his words did not, his eyes unguardedly tender.
"I missed you too, Yosho," she replied. He seemed troubled; he was holding himself back from something; she thought she knew what.
"You know, you don't have to be afraid to touch me; I'm not afraid to touch you, after all." She smiled. He seemed to snap; he stepped forward and scooped her into his arms, burying his face in her hair. He inhaled her scent, crushing her to his chest.
"I missed you; God, how I missed you!" He told her, kissing her forehead, her nose, both her cheeks. "If you knew, how I burned for you, how I yearned to touch you; How I love you, my princess, my queen, my heart." She closed her eyes and allowed herself to relax in his grip.
"And I told you already that I missed you," she said. She rose on her toes and hugged him closer, wrapping her arms around him.
"Wait." He said suddenly, looking about them. "I forget myself; a moment, my lady."
"A moment from you is an eternity," She replied, freeing herself from him.
He gave a rueful smile. "That it is," he said. He turned on his heels then, and walked once around their enclosure, whispering under his breath. The air shimmered with the magic he was calling; nature magic. He asked the winds to seal their words from the hearing of any but them.
"Now," he said. "As always, business before pleasure; how's this plan of yours going?" he queried.
She looked at him for a moment, then nodded and sighed. "It was going really well, I think, until after dinner in the game room."
"Oh?" He asked.
"Yes." She said. There were a few moments of silence before she looked up at him again. Feignedly irritated, she said, "Well, aren't you going to ask about what happened?"
"No," he replied easily.
She was shocked, and just a little angry at his reply. "Well, why not?"
He turned to her then, a mischievous grin playing on his regal face. "Because you're going to tell me anyway," he said, amusement in his gray eyes.
"Mou! Yosho!" Meiling turned huffily around, playfully awaiting his next move. She was glad that he had had some reason for his earlier answer. She crossed her arms over her chest.
Suddenly there were two hands at her elbows, warm breath on her neck. Her heart quickened slightly.
"Meiling," came a singsong whisper. A tingling shiver ran down her spine. She dropped her arms from their defensive position. Kami-sama, this man could work her buttons.
"Meiling," the voice said again. She closed her eyes as his lips brushed the skin of her neck, tilting her head to the side. He moved his hands from her elbows to the front of her night attire; he gripped her close to him with one hand, slipping under the bottom of her shirt to rest his other. The skin of her stomach tingled with the warmth of his touch. His finger traced the center of her waist, trailing its way down, down… His hand lighted on the pants to her set.
She turned in his embrace then, looking up at him. His eyes held her as he lowered his face to catch her lips. There was electric fire where their lips met, hunger and passion fused. Her hands traveled through his downy black curls. Her breath came faster, then caught when his wandering hand tugged at the top of her night pants.
"No," she said softly. "Not here, not now; not yet."
He stepped away from her, his breath catching in his throat. "I can't control myself when it comes to you! You drive me wild! You torture me, Mei. Your scent beckons me; your look bends me to your will; your touch, ah, that searing touch; how I yearn for it! My passion for you eats at me, burns me to my very soul!"
The revelation struck her; she'd had no idea what her effect on this man was. She had never even thought that she could affect him as he did herself, that she could make his body ache for her as she did for him. The knowledge quickened her pulse and flushed her cheeks. It opened her eyes and her heart.
"Yosho," he didn't look at her. "Yosho," she continued, "I… I… I love you…" She flushed, much like her cousin, as the words escaped her mouth. She looked away from his turning form, confused, embarrassed; more then a little apprehensive.
"You toy with me; you tell me what I dream, what I wish to hear;" He continued, more softly, with, "What I have wanted to hear for a lifetime."
She looked up at him, wide-eyed with any mixture of shock and elation. Every time that he had said the word love before, she had always thought he wanted something; now she knew, he had only wanted her to say it back.
She stepped forward, pushed herself up on her toes, wrapped her arms around his neck, and kissed him. This kiss was different from the ones that they'd had before; there was nothing hungry or urgent in it; no hormones driving its cause; simply love, spilling into and filling the one, who returned it to the other.
A while later, they reluctantly pulled away from one another; Meiling subconsciously touched a hand to her lips.
Her love smiled at her; "Now, then, what say we sit in this lovely grass while you tell me of all that life has battered you with?"
She returned his smile; "Let's shall."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"Hmmm." Tomoyo made a soft noise in her sleep, turning over in her empty bed; Meiling had yet to return. Her dreams, however, held company better than any she'd had for a while; in her dreams, she was talking to Eriol Hiiragizawa.
It had all been carefully orchestrated, of course; the plush carpet with the peony theme; the glass table that she was presently lifting her tea from; the expensive armchair that she sat in, and its partner across from her. There was a fire going on the one side, a cool breeze blowing on the other; the area around them was a simple expanse of dark.
"So, Miss Tomoyo, how do you?" Eriol said, smiling over his tea.
She smiled back. "It's all going quite well, actually. I thank you for the whole black mail suggestion; I think it's really going to put a kink into Li's thinking of her as an innocent ten-year-old. At least, he'll notice that she's grown up on the outside." She grinned, sipping at her hibiscus tea.
"As have you, Miss Tomoyo," Eriol said as he lifted his teacup to his lips. She nearly spit hers out; it was not unusual to receive a compliment from Hiiragizawa Eriol, but never did he say anything so… direct.
She blushed a limpid red as she finally replied "Thank you…" He smiled innocently.
"Now, how are the living arrangements working out?" He smiled the 'I-hope-you're-torturing-my-cute-little-descendent-sufficiently-in-my-place' smile. She smiled her 'you-know-me-too-well' smile.
They continued to sip their tea in companionable silence before Eriol finally said "Well, I really should get back to my own body; it's hard to have carryon an out of body spell and sleep at once, you know." He smiled again, his eyes crinkling at the corners.
"Oyasumi, Hiiragizawa-kun, and sweet dreams," Tomoyo said, putting down her tea and sitting back in her armchair. Her hands played over the ornate wood that lined the armrest.
"Goodnight, Miss Tomoyo, and sweet my dreams shall be," He said, standing up with a smile. She watched as he walked away and his form disintegrated into the darkness of her mind. When his body had left her sight, she heard what she knew to be his voice in a faint whisper;
"I'm sure I'll dream of you."
She smiled as her cheeks pinked slightly.
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Soooooo? Whatcha think? You like Yosho? He's so… intense ^.^
Silverlight brought up a good point in her review; she said that blackmail seems more like Eriol's thang than Tomoyo's; I thought so too, but I had already had the scene you just read in mind at the outset; I hadn't known how to incorporate some ExT, but it struck me; HE'S GOT MAGIC!
Oh, and If you don't like Yosho…::sniffle… the first character that I don't have to disclaim and nobuddy likes 'im… sniff:: Say so and I'll… I dunno, I'll kill him or something ^.^ But I really think that Meiling should have sumbuddy, you know? I mean, most fics say "Syaoran got sick of that possessive bitch and dumped her". I have a soft spot for Meiling, and I think that even possessive hoydens deserve to find love… ^.^; call me a softie, I don't care ^.^
And about the whity tighties; uh, I couldn't think of a rhyme for boxers so… eh hehehe… err… what was I supposed to do? Soccer boxers? he can't have just ONE kinda boxer, you know!?!?!
REVIEW! And if you don't then… NO MORE POEMS! BWAHAHAHAHA!
Disclaimer: In honor of my supah fly, gray eyed Yosho, I DON'T own Sakura, Syaoran, Takashi, Chiharu, Meiling, Tomoyo, Eriol, Ayame, Ayane, Tenchu, Tenchi, Usagi, Darien, Molly, Nephrite, Zoisite, Malachite, Naoko, Rika, or Terada-sensei; I only own May-chan, Yosho-sama, and the kids that made dirty jokes in the back of the class.