Chapter 4a:
The Job
"WAKE UP! RISE N' SHINE, KIDDIES, IT'S-A MORNIN' TIME!" The usually unobtrusive Malaya had made a hidden talent of being able to project her voice through every inch of that over-sized cabin of hers. It proved effective as 3 disgruntled teenagers tumbled down the stairs, to land in a tangle of displaced limbs in front of their chaperone.
"Now, you three take your seats right over there," she began jubilantly, indicating the chairs surrounding the heavily laden table that they were to choose their breakfasts from. She continued; "While I go wake up that sleepy headed friend of yours. Make yourselves comfy, you can start without us." And with that she ascended the stairs, as if carried by the cool morning breeze.
They took their seats in deathlike silence, their drastically different moods the combatants for control over the general feeling vibrating through the air. A pensive Syaoran sat across from the smiling Tomoyo; Tomoyo was seated next to an… irritable Meiling. She looked like she'd had quite a night; her hair was plastered to a few odd parts of her head, while it spoofed out in all directions in others. Her left eye twitched haphazardly.
Before the silence could grow uncomfortable, Tomoyo took the opportunity to interrogate both her companions.
"Hey," she said, her tone bespeaking innocence and warmth. "How did you sleep on your first night in the mountains, Meiling?" She gave her friend an innocuous smile.
Meiling's eye twitched severely before she answered. "None…" twitch, "of… your… damn… business."
Tomoyo smiled as though her friend had said 'The weather is beautiful' before she replied. "You seem so moody this fine spring morning. Perhaps you should step outside and let the air soothe your spirits, ne?" 'And then I can find out exactly where you were… and who you were with,' she added to herself.
Meiling's eyes torpidly closed… Tomoyo and Li watched in slow motion as her head fell forward, forward, wisps of her ill-kempt hair carried on the breeze, forward… onto her cold, hard plate. *Clink* Both Li and Tomoyo sweat dropped as soft nonsense sounds came from her parted, almost-drooling lips.
"Eh hehehe…" Tomoyo's nervous laughter reflected both their thoughts. "So, Li… err… How'd you sleep?" She indulged herself as she, smiling, added, "I'm sure you had lovely dreams sleeping beside my lovely Sakura-chan."
He gave her a weak glare. "Drop it, wench." Came his terse reply. But he remembered vividly every splendent detail of what had happened after he returned from the bathroom on that luminous night.
Flash
"Syaoran…" Sakura turned toward the door at his light footfall. She was still fast asleep, but her brow was wrinkled; her dreams did her no good. He fought against his instincts; he didn't rush to her bedside and hold her like she would never wake up again; He didn't wake her up with a kiss and tell her that everything would be okay. He didn't do anything that his heart told him; instead, he walked slowly over to the bureau, put the clothes that he had worn earlier away, and then slowly approached the bed.
"Syaoran…" She said his name again. He looked at her this time and ignored his rational mind; he touched the tip of his fingers to her cheek. She was soft, so soft… her skin was delicate, like the flower that was her namesake. He gently stroked a thumb over her cheek; she smiled in her sleep.
Watching her, his innocent flower, snapped him back to reality; he quickly turned from her and walked a few steps from the bed. He sat on a pillow, facing the window. He had been positive it would rain; wrong again, prejudger-Syaoran.
He sighed, the freedom of air from his lungs. He began the intake of a long, meditative breath.
"Mrrrmph," Sakura groaned; her dreams really were troubling her. He tried to ignore the distressed blossom's unsteady breathing and the woefulness about her aura.
"Ngh," she grunted. That did it. He couldn't just sit there brooding while the love of his life was suffering; he bolted from the warm pillows that were to be his bed and rushed to her side. He took a breath and hesitantly moved his hand toward hers. He settled his palm over her hand and spoke to her.
"I'm here, Sakura," he said simply. His grip on her hand tightened as he continued. "I'm right here, don't worry."
"Li?" Uh oh. The re-formalization of his name alerted him to her wakefulness. He gravely waited for her to pull her hand away from him, to turn from him, for her to make plain his rejection. He waited in vain; instead she smiled at him.
"I knew you'd come." The simple statement quickened his pulse and put down his guard. He couldn't just leave it at that, invite silence to swallow the only chance he may have to make amends for what he did earlier…
"I'm… sorry," he said lamely. This didn't put her off though; instead she asked,
"Why?" Her eyebrows furrowed in confused concern. She wondered what he was apologizing for. What could he have done?
"I'm just… sorry. For everything. For how we met; for how I've been treating you… I'm sorry." With his final words said, he looked away and drew back his hand. He continued. "I… I'll sleep on those pillows over there… so you can get the bed…" he looked at her then. "Beautiful…" he murmured. "sleep… yeah."
She looked at him, her eyes gleaming in the moon soaked darkness. "Yes, the bed is beautiful. And it's very big; there's plenty of room for you." She looked down then, chagrinned.
"Err… I uh… The pillows are fine," came his lame reply. He turned. As he was walking toward the heap of pillows that was his bed, he felt a soft tug at his sleeve. He turned to face Sakura.
She spoke; "No… stay," she said. Her eyes, those beautiful, verdure eyes, pleaded with him. "Stay with me," she repeated.
"But… pillows," he said feebly as she pulled him toward the bed. He allowed her to as she replied. "No sir, Li Syaoran, you're staying right here." And with that she plunked him onto the bed, a small stretch of cover separating them.
A red wind blew heavily on the cheeks of the warrior and the sorceress. The awkwardness of his position muddled his thoughts. He wondered vaguely if she knew how seductively her silken pink, thin strapped nightdress hugged the curves of her body. He had spoken none of this aloud, however.
"You wanna… top err bottom?" His voice was muffled, his blush rising, as he realized how the innocence of the statement had been misconstrued. "Err.. eh… what I meant was… see"
"How about we both get bottom?" She said innocently. It was clear she had not realized the ambiguity of the statement when she continued with "I mean, there's plenty of room. Why are you looking at me like that?"
His look spoke the embarrassment that speaking on such a subject often would raise in a young man such as he. He wondered how to answer, whether she truly took his meaning, or if his innocent Cherry blossom was some kind of undercover nympho-maniac.
"Look, Li," she began, seriously; "we're both responsible young people; I think we can handle ourselves as well with both of us *under* the blanket as with one freezing on top and the other nice and toasty on the bottom." She continued, sidling under the covers, mischief alight in her sparkling, virescent eyes. "Unless YOU'RE scared."
"!"
If he had had any doubts before, they were all put to rest now; she had challenged his Li pride! "I'll show YOU who's scared!" With a spark of playful abandon, he dived across her sprawled form and under the covers. She giggled, the sound muffled by her hands.
"Well, now, that was so terribly hard, ne?" She said, smiling.
"You have no idea…" he mumbled. He blushed at his own unseemly mind as she asked
"Hoe?" The girl really was confused. She smiled nonetheless. Her easy openness always put his guard down; he gave a slow, small smile in return. His smile widened, turning mischievous.
"I said, you're not gonna get away with trying to damage my Li pride. Oh, it really is a mistake to displease He Who Knows Your Tickle Spots!"
Her eyes widened in mock terror, her mouth a huge, gaping O. He pounced on her then, lightly sitting on her thighs, his hands bear claws. He rushed at her as she uttered a delighted squeal. As his fingers glided over her sides, she squirmed, frantically attempting to hold in her laughter; he was relentless.
He stopped for a moment, bringing his lips closer to her ear; she blushed a little, noting the proximity between them. His breath warmed her cheek as he whispered, "Give?"
She was panting, but he wouldn't win so easily; she quickly formed a plan, sketching it out with the blink of her eye. She turned an orchestrated pout on her warrior and lowered her eyes. He rolled from her legs; freedom.
Big Mistake, Li.
Quick as a flash, she was on him, sitting on his abdomen. She had one leg on either side of his body, looking down at him condescendingly. "Really, Syaoran," she said, mock-scolding him. "I should think a _warrior_ of YOUR learning would know never to allow a *powerful* enemy too much freedom before they are completely disabled, or defeated, as you are now." She smirked, crossing her arms over her chest.
All the while that she had been speaking, his hand had been moving into place, sliding unnoticed up her thigh. When his hands rested on the hem of her night skirt, she finally stopped speaking. "Are you done yet?" he asked innocently. Insolently, really.
As he had planned, Sakura flared her nostrils, uncrossing both her arms, raising them above her head. In a wink, his hands had encircled her waist, uprooted her from his body, and thrust her backwards into the downy bed. She had time to utter a surprised
"HOE!?" Before he un-benignly exacted his revenge.
His hands were everywhere, walking the waters of her flesh, sending goosebumps raging rampant through her body. It confused her, how he could make her body shiver with more than just laughter. What was this feeling she had, this strange warmth that grew within her each time she saw him? She dropped the issue, as she already knew the answer, and came back to the present; she had barely the breath to giggle, let alone breath, but she had a plan.
Sakura, calculating devil, watched him; she watched the muscles of his arms, holding in her laughter, looking for an opening. She watched for a few moments, watched for--
AHA!
She stormed his sides with her fleeting touch, gauging his reaction in his sharp intake of breath, the reddening of his cheeks, the assuage of his assault. Her hands were their own entity, out of her control; the only thing her muddled senses registered was the way the moonlit window bathed his body in tanned white-gold, how pleasant his weight was on her, his warmth. He was reddening; he was holding back his boyish giggle, the one that only she had heard before. His chest heaved and finally--
She had him!
His fingers left her completely, as hers did him, and for a moment she knew disappointment. It was not to last, that sharp, strange sting, as they both gave into a childish fit of laughter, laughing, smiling, laughing, blushing, laughing.
Finally, they found themselves sprawled carelessly over that huge bed, reminiscing. Syaoran was content there, staring up at that moon-cloaked ceiling, surprised at how proficient he was becoming at not staring at the honey-haired beauty that graced the space beside him. He half listened to her recollection of 'that time at the beach when we'. He suppressed an unbidden smile, his hands behind his head as he lay there, almost perfectly content to listen to her sweet as sugar voice, teasing his tortured-teen mind with that strange huskiness that it encompassed every now and again.
"Syaoran, why'd you stay?" He was startled out of his reverie by her closeness, her warm breath so near his neck. A faint redness overtook the planes of his face.
Sakura walked her fingers over his flannel-bearing chest. So handsome, this virile, tender aged youth! He really was more man than boy, she thought, as she felt the contained hardness that was his light-bathed torso. She marshaled her thoughts;
"Well?"
"Hm?" Syaoran realized he hadn't answered her question. How *could* he? Could he tell her? Could he tell her that he'd stayed because of her? That he was there because he loved her? He knew for sure; no.
"Because." He said noncommittally.
"Because what?"
"Just… because," he said with a cryptic smile.
She didn't question him any further. She simply scooted closer to him, laying her hand over his warm chest before she slowly drifted into her misty dreams.
"Because I love you," she imagined him saying as the weariness finally overtook her.
"Because I love you."
Flash
"Syaoran!" The admission from so close to his ear shocked him back into the present.
"Syaoran, what were you dreaming about? Whatever it was, it really did space you out. I never knew you and Sakura-chan would make such active bedfellows." Tomoyo left no ambivalence to this statement; she clarified any confused with her impish grin.
Syaoran took a deep breath and tried to quiet the roaring in his ears. Breathe. Breathe. Breathe.
"AH-RIGHT, PEOPLE, UP AND AT EM, LET'S GET THIS SHOW ON THE ROAD!" Meiling's head groggily rose from her breakfast china, some of her glossy hair glued to her face. Tomoyo stifled giggles as she watched her friends' breakfast antics.
Sakura floated down the stairs, her house robe wafting out behind her. When she reached the foot, she gave them all a slow, sleepy smile.
"Ohayo, minna," she said. She took her seat, next to the blushing Syaoran, in a cascade of floating fabric.
Ohhh, he thought, breakfast would be long.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Silence.
No noises. No words. Just. Silence
Deafening silence.
Unbearable silence.
As soon as Sakura had had herself seated, breakfast had been dealt out. Syaoran had been sitting there, pensive as ever, his face tomato-red. Meiling had woken up momentarily to allow food onto her plate. Tomoyo simply sat, that displaced smile on her glossy lips.
Malaya-san cleared her throat before she attempted to lift the stifling silence that threatened to ruin her breakfast.
"Well… Ah… How did everyone sleep?" she asked with a smile. What was meant to be a conversational subject caused a deep, deep blush to heat the cheeks of 2 of her charges; 1 let out a noise like "Hanyaaaan…", while the other grunted from her sleeping place on her empty saucer.
Attempt Failed.
"Well," she decided to try again, "did we all have pleasant dreams?"
Blush. Blush. "Hyaaaaaannn". "Mrph, grumble, didn't get no damn sleep, grumble, grumble"
Attempt Failed.
After about 7 more tries with the same results, she threw all pretenses to the wind; if she couldn't get them to talk, she could at least amuse herself!
Syaoran looked at her, noting the malignant glint in her eye, before she began to speak:
"Syaoran," she said, nonchalantly stabbing her eggs with her fork. He gulped. "Did you sleep well with Sakura? You didn't try anything on her did you?"
"Eep!"
May-chan continued;
"Well, Sakura?" she asked. "He didn't try to feel you up, did he? I heard some strange noises coming from your room last night."
Red. Red red red. So red. Syaoran and Sakura looked at each other.
"AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!"
They both flushed even deeper reds and bolted for the opposite doors.
"Igottagothanksforbreakfastgonnagettajobnowbye!" Syaoran said as he slammed the door behind each other.
May-chan slowly chewed her eggs, a smile curling her lips. These youngsters were such fun. She closed her eyes, savoring the taste of her well-seasoned eggs.
"That was fun," she said.
Tomoyo agreed completely.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"Li! Hey, Li!"
Yamazaki Takashi noted Syaoran's flushed face as he sprinted full tilt into the square, his fleetly feet kicking up dust on the path behind him.
"Hey, Li," he called again, "Slow down!"
He did. As he approached his friend at a walk, the redness didn't go out of his face as he caught his breath, Takashi noticed.
"Hey, man, what's wrong?" He was genuinely concerned for his friend.
"Breakfast… nothin'." Syaoran said. His face reddened slightly.
"Whatever you say," Takashi supplied. He smiled suddenly. "Hey, do you know what you're gonna be? I'm gonna be a History professor, if they've got those; college professors get a lot of money, you know? Gotta support my Chiharu."
Syaoran wasn't sure if college professors got a lot of money or not; he eyed his friend suspiciously before he made his reply: "Your Chiharu? Is that why you cancelled on me? For _your_ Chiharu?" His voice was harsh in his own ears.
"No!" he said fervently, "That's not it, it's cause I… well…" he blushed.
Li softened his expression, offering a small smile to his friend. "You love her, Takashi. You know you do. Face it." His voice had lost the edge on it.
Yamazaki Takashi looked at his friend for a moment before averting his gaze again, a light pink tingeing his cheeks. His lip curved up slightly before he made his reply:
"I could say the same for you," he quipped.
To think, that a seasoned warrior would blush so vividly at the mention of
"Sakura," Takashi whispered.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"Is that clear, everyone?" Terada-san had just outlined how they would find their jobs. They were to go to the table that had their sought job, fill out an application, get accepted or rejected, and then get to work. Child's play, ne?
"Now, in an orderly fashion, we shall begin. Ready?!"
Everyone nodded emphatically.
"Begin!"
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"Oh, Jesus, help!"
"AHHHHHHHHHHH"
"Not AGAIN! NO!"
Syaoran watched everyone from his vantage point; a high, leafy Cherry Tree. He leaned his head back in its welcoming branches and sighed. Something about being around those pink-white flowers always calmed him. Maybe it was because they reminded him of a svelte girl named after them. Either way, he was okay from where he was.
He had already turned in his application; he'd been the first one in line for it. For now he would just stay in the safety of his tree and hope that the chaos unfolding beneath him wouldn't be TOO reminiscent of when they'd been house searching-- which, he was afraid, it would be…
******************************
Does that even count as a cliff hanger? I'm sorry it took so long to get this chapter out; it was like 20 pages long, but I had to cut it down (which took a WHILE! ^.^;) so that I could have a series that made sense. Okay, people if you've made it this far, you may as well review! ^.^
The next Chapter's going to be pretty long. You'll see a little black mail then, and possibly Sakura trying to be a conventional housewife ^.^
Oh, by the way, I'm a strong believer of Girl Power, so it's not ONLY the guys that'll be getting jobs! If S+S get into a little spat when Li comes home, Sakura may get a job just to spite him ^.^ It all depends on what you want, we'll have to see.
Hope you enjoyed this chapter, more to come LATER!
Review!
~!Ada!~
The Job
"WAKE UP! RISE N' SHINE, KIDDIES, IT'S-A MORNIN' TIME!" The usually unobtrusive Malaya had made a hidden talent of being able to project her voice through every inch of that over-sized cabin of hers. It proved effective as 3 disgruntled teenagers tumbled down the stairs, to land in a tangle of displaced limbs in front of their chaperone.
"Now, you three take your seats right over there," she began jubilantly, indicating the chairs surrounding the heavily laden table that they were to choose their breakfasts from. She continued; "While I go wake up that sleepy headed friend of yours. Make yourselves comfy, you can start without us." And with that she ascended the stairs, as if carried by the cool morning breeze.
They took their seats in deathlike silence, their drastically different moods the combatants for control over the general feeling vibrating through the air. A pensive Syaoran sat across from the smiling Tomoyo; Tomoyo was seated next to an… irritable Meiling. She looked like she'd had quite a night; her hair was plastered to a few odd parts of her head, while it spoofed out in all directions in others. Her left eye twitched haphazardly.
Before the silence could grow uncomfortable, Tomoyo took the opportunity to interrogate both her companions.
"Hey," she said, her tone bespeaking innocence and warmth. "How did you sleep on your first night in the mountains, Meiling?" She gave her friend an innocuous smile.
Meiling's eye twitched severely before she answered. "None…" twitch, "of… your… damn… business."
Tomoyo smiled as though her friend had said 'The weather is beautiful' before she replied. "You seem so moody this fine spring morning. Perhaps you should step outside and let the air soothe your spirits, ne?" 'And then I can find out exactly where you were… and who you were with,' she added to herself.
Meiling's eyes torpidly closed… Tomoyo and Li watched in slow motion as her head fell forward, forward, wisps of her ill-kempt hair carried on the breeze, forward… onto her cold, hard plate. *Clink* Both Li and Tomoyo sweat dropped as soft nonsense sounds came from her parted, almost-drooling lips.
"Eh hehehe…" Tomoyo's nervous laughter reflected both their thoughts. "So, Li… err… How'd you sleep?" She indulged herself as she, smiling, added, "I'm sure you had lovely dreams sleeping beside my lovely Sakura-chan."
He gave her a weak glare. "Drop it, wench." Came his terse reply. But he remembered vividly every splendent detail of what had happened after he returned from the bathroom on that luminous night.
Flash
"Syaoran…" Sakura turned toward the door at his light footfall. She was still fast asleep, but her brow was wrinkled; her dreams did her no good. He fought against his instincts; he didn't rush to her bedside and hold her like she would never wake up again; He didn't wake her up with a kiss and tell her that everything would be okay. He didn't do anything that his heart told him; instead, he walked slowly over to the bureau, put the clothes that he had worn earlier away, and then slowly approached the bed.
"Syaoran…" She said his name again. He looked at her this time and ignored his rational mind; he touched the tip of his fingers to her cheek. She was soft, so soft… her skin was delicate, like the flower that was her namesake. He gently stroked a thumb over her cheek; she smiled in her sleep.
Watching her, his innocent flower, snapped him back to reality; he quickly turned from her and walked a few steps from the bed. He sat on a pillow, facing the window. He had been positive it would rain; wrong again, prejudger-Syaoran.
He sighed, the freedom of air from his lungs. He began the intake of a long, meditative breath.
"Mrrrmph," Sakura groaned; her dreams really were troubling her. He tried to ignore the distressed blossom's unsteady breathing and the woefulness about her aura.
"Ngh," she grunted. That did it. He couldn't just sit there brooding while the love of his life was suffering; he bolted from the warm pillows that were to be his bed and rushed to her side. He took a breath and hesitantly moved his hand toward hers. He settled his palm over her hand and spoke to her.
"I'm here, Sakura," he said simply. His grip on her hand tightened as he continued. "I'm right here, don't worry."
"Li?" Uh oh. The re-formalization of his name alerted him to her wakefulness. He gravely waited for her to pull her hand away from him, to turn from him, for her to make plain his rejection. He waited in vain; instead she smiled at him.
"I knew you'd come." The simple statement quickened his pulse and put down his guard. He couldn't just leave it at that, invite silence to swallow the only chance he may have to make amends for what he did earlier…
"I'm… sorry," he said lamely. This didn't put her off though; instead she asked,
"Why?" Her eyebrows furrowed in confused concern. She wondered what he was apologizing for. What could he have done?
"I'm just… sorry. For everything. For how we met; for how I've been treating you… I'm sorry." With his final words said, he looked away and drew back his hand. He continued. "I… I'll sleep on those pillows over there… so you can get the bed…" he looked at her then. "Beautiful…" he murmured. "sleep… yeah."
She looked at him, her eyes gleaming in the moon soaked darkness. "Yes, the bed is beautiful. And it's very big; there's plenty of room for you." She looked down then, chagrinned.
"Err… I uh… The pillows are fine," came his lame reply. He turned. As he was walking toward the heap of pillows that was his bed, he felt a soft tug at his sleeve. He turned to face Sakura.
She spoke; "No… stay," she said. Her eyes, those beautiful, verdure eyes, pleaded with him. "Stay with me," she repeated.
"But… pillows," he said feebly as she pulled him toward the bed. He allowed her to as she replied. "No sir, Li Syaoran, you're staying right here." And with that she plunked him onto the bed, a small stretch of cover separating them.
A red wind blew heavily on the cheeks of the warrior and the sorceress. The awkwardness of his position muddled his thoughts. He wondered vaguely if she knew how seductively her silken pink, thin strapped nightdress hugged the curves of her body. He had spoken none of this aloud, however.
"You wanna… top err bottom?" His voice was muffled, his blush rising, as he realized how the innocence of the statement had been misconstrued. "Err.. eh… what I meant was… see"
"How about we both get bottom?" She said innocently. It was clear she had not realized the ambiguity of the statement when she continued with "I mean, there's plenty of room. Why are you looking at me like that?"
His look spoke the embarrassment that speaking on such a subject often would raise in a young man such as he. He wondered how to answer, whether she truly took his meaning, or if his innocent Cherry blossom was some kind of undercover nympho-maniac.
"Look, Li," she began, seriously; "we're both responsible young people; I think we can handle ourselves as well with both of us *under* the blanket as with one freezing on top and the other nice and toasty on the bottom." She continued, sidling under the covers, mischief alight in her sparkling, virescent eyes. "Unless YOU'RE scared."
"!"
If he had had any doubts before, they were all put to rest now; she had challenged his Li pride! "I'll show YOU who's scared!" With a spark of playful abandon, he dived across her sprawled form and under the covers. She giggled, the sound muffled by her hands.
"Well, now, that was so terribly hard, ne?" She said, smiling.
"You have no idea…" he mumbled. He blushed at his own unseemly mind as she asked
"Hoe?" The girl really was confused. She smiled nonetheless. Her easy openness always put his guard down; he gave a slow, small smile in return. His smile widened, turning mischievous.
"I said, you're not gonna get away with trying to damage my Li pride. Oh, it really is a mistake to displease He Who Knows Your Tickle Spots!"
Her eyes widened in mock terror, her mouth a huge, gaping O. He pounced on her then, lightly sitting on her thighs, his hands bear claws. He rushed at her as she uttered a delighted squeal. As his fingers glided over her sides, she squirmed, frantically attempting to hold in her laughter; he was relentless.
He stopped for a moment, bringing his lips closer to her ear; she blushed a little, noting the proximity between them. His breath warmed her cheek as he whispered, "Give?"
She was panting, but he wouldn't win so easily; she quickly formed a plan, sketching it out with the blink of her eye. She turned an orchestrated pout on her warrior and lowered her eyes. He rolled from her legs; freedom.
Big Mistake, Li.
Quick as a flash, she was on him, sitting on his abdomen. She had one leg on either side of his body, looking down at him condescendingly. "Really, Syaoran," she said, mock-scolding him. "I should think a _warrior_ of YOUR learning would know never to allow a *powerful* enemy too much freedom before they are completely disabled, or defeated, as you are now." She smirked, crossing her arms over her chest.
All the while that she had been speaking, his hand had been moving into place, sliding unnoticed up her thigh. When his hands rested on the hem of her night skirt, she finally stopped speaking. "Are you done yet?" he asked innocently. Insolently, really.
As he had planned, Sakura flared her nostrils, uncrossing both her arms, raising them above her head. In a wink, his hands had encircled her waist, uprooted her from his body, and thrust her backwards into the downy bed. She had time to utter a surprised
"HOE!?" Before he un-benignly exacted his revenge.
His hands were everywhere, walking the waters of her flesh, sending goosebumps raging rampant through her body. It confused her, how he could make her body shiver with more than just laughter. What was this feeling she had, this strange warmth that grew within her each time she saw him? She dropped the issue, as she already knew the answer, and came back to the present; she had barely the breath to giggle, let alone breath, but she had a plan.
Sakura, calculating devil, watched him; she watched the muscles of his arms, holding in her laughter, looking for an opening. She watched for a few moments, watched for--
AHA!
She stormed his sides with her fleeting touch, gauging his reaction in his sharp intake of breath, the reddening of his cheeks, the assuage of his assault. Her hands were their own entity, out of her control; the only thing her muddled senses registered was the way the moonlit window bathed his body in tanned white-gold, how pleasant his weight was on her, his warmth. He was reddening; he was holding back his boyish giggle, the one that only she had heard before. His chest heaved and finally--
She had him!
His fingers left her completely, as hers did him, and for a moment she knew disappointment. It was not to last, that sharp, strange sting, as they both gave into a childish fit of laughter, laughing, smiling, laughing, blushing, laughing.
Finally, they found themselves sprawled carelessly over that huge bed, reminiscing. Syaoran was content there, staring up at that moon-cloaked ceiling, surprised at how proficient he was becoming at not staring at the honey-haired beauty that graced the space beside him. He half listened to her recollection of 'that time at the beach when we'. He suppressed an unbidden smile, his hands behind his head as he lay there, almost perfectly content to listen to her sweet as sugar voice, teasing his tortured-teen mind with that strange huskiness that it encompassed every now and again.
"Syaoran, why'd you stay?" He was startled out of his reverie by her closeness, her warm breath so near his neck. A faint redness overtook the planes of his face.
Sakura walked her fingers over his flannel-bearing chest. So handsome, this virile, tender aged youth! He really was more man than boy, she thought, as she felt the contained hardness that was his light-bathed torso. She marshaled her thoughts;
"Well?"
"Hm?" Syaoran realized he hadn't answered her question. How *could* he? Could he tell her? Could he tell her that he'd stayed because of her? That he was there because he loved her? He knew for sure; no.
"Because." He said noncommittally.
"Because what?"
"Just… because," he said with a cryptic smile.
She didn't question him any further. She simply scooted closer to him, laying her hand over his warm chest before she slowly drifted into her misty dreams.
"Because I love you," she imagined him saying as the weariness finally overtook her.
"Because I love you."
Flash
"Syaoran!" The admission from so close to his ear shocked him back into the present.
"Syaoran, what were you dreaming about? Whatever it was, it really did space you out. I never knew you and Sakura-chan would make such active bedfellows." Tomoyo left no ambivalence to this statement; she clarified any confused with her impish grin.
Syaoran took a deep breath and tried to quiet the roaring in his ears. Breathe. Breathe. Breathe.
"AH-RIGHT, PEOPLE, UP AND AT EM, LET'S GET THIS SHOW ON THE ROAD!" Meiling's head groggily rose from her breakfast china, some of her glossy hair glued to her face. Tomoyo stifled giggles as she watched her friends' breakfast antics.
Sakura floated down the stairs, her house robe wafting out behind her. When she reached the foot, she gave them all a slow, sleepy smile.
"Ohayo, minna," she said. She took her seat, next to the blushing Syaoran, in a cascade of floating fabric.
Ohhh, he thought, breakfast would be long.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Silence.
No noises. No words. Just. Silence
Deafening silence.
Unbearable silence.
As soon as Sakura had had herself seated, breakfast had been dealt out. Syaoran had been sitting there, pensive as ever, his face tomato-red. Meiling had woken up momentarily to allow food onto her plate. Tomoyo simply sat, that displaced smile on her glossy lips.
Malaya-san cleared her throat before she attempted to lift the stifling silence that threatened to ruin her breakfast.
"Well… Ah… How did everyone sleep?" she asked with a smile. What was meant to be a conversational subject caused a deep, deep blush to heat the cheeks of 2 of her charges; 1 let out a noise like "Hanyaaaan…", while the other grunted from her sleeping place on her empty saucer.
Attempt Failed.
"Well," she decided to try again, "did we all have pleasant dreams?"
Blush. Blush. "Hyaaaaaannn". "Mrph, grumble, didn't get no damn sleep, grumble, grumble"
Attempt Failed.
After about 7 more tries with the same results, she threw all pretenses to the wind; if she couldn't get them to talk, she could at least amuse herself!
Syaoran looked at her, noting the malignant glint in her eye, before she began to speak:
"Syaoran," she said, nonchalantly stabbing her eggs with her fork. He gulped. "Did you sleep well with Sakura? You didn't try anything on her did you?"
"Eep!"
May-chan continued;
"Well, Sakura?" she asked. "He didn't try to feel you up, did he? I heard some strange noises coming from your room last night."
Red. Red red red. So red. Syaoran and Sakura looked at each other.
"AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!"
They both flushed even deeper reds and bolted for the opposite doors.
"Igottagothanksforbreakfastgonnagettajobnowbye!" Syaoran said as he slammed the door behind each other.
May-chan slowly chewed her eggs, a smile curling her lips. These youngsters were such fun. She closed her eyes, savoring the taste of her well-seasoned eggs.
"That was fun," she said.
Tomoyo agreed completely.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"Li! Hey, Li!"
Yamazaki Takashi noted Syaoran's flushed face as he sprinted full tilt into the square, his fleetly feet kicking up dust on the path behind him.
"Hey, Li," he called again, "Slow down!"
He did. As he approached his friend at a walk, the redness didn't go out of his face as he caught his breath, Takashi noticed.
"Hey, man, what's wrong?" He was genuinely concerned for his friend.
"Breakfast… nothin'." Syaoran said. His face reddened slightly.
"Whatever you say," Takashi supplied. He smiled suddenly. "Hey, do you know what you're gonna be? I'm gonna be a History professor, if they've got those; college professors get a lot of money, you know? Gotta support my Chiharu."
Syaoran wasn't sure if college professors got a lot of money or not; he eyed his friend suspiciously before he made his reply: "Your Chiharu? Is that why you cancelled on me? For _your_ Chiharu?" His voice was harsh in his own ears.
"No!" he said fervently, "That's not it, it's cause I… well…" he blushed.
Li softened his expression, offering a small smile to his friend. "You love her, Takashi. You know you do. Face it." His voice had lost the edge on it.
Yamazaki Takashi looked at his friend for a moment before averting his gaze again, a light pink tingeing his cheeks. His lip curved up slightly before he made his reply:
"I could say the same for you," he quipped.
To think, that a seasoned warrior would blush so vividly at the mention of
"Sakura," Takashi whispered.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"Is that clear, everyone?" Terada-san had just outlined how they would find their jobs. They were to go to the table that had their sought job, fill out an application, get accepted or rejected, and then get to work. Child's play, ne?
"Now, in an orderly fashion, we shall begin. Ready?!"
Everyone nodded emphatically.
"Begin!"
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"Oh, Jesus, help!"
"AHHHHHHHHHHH"
"Not AGAIN! NO!"
Syaoran watched everyone from his vantage point; a high, leafy Cherry Tree. He leaned his head back in its welcoming branches and sighed. Something about being around those pink-white flowers always calmed him. Maybe it was because they reminded him of a svelte girl named after them. Either way, he was okay from where he was.
He had already turned in his application; he'd been the first one in line for it. For now he would just stay in the safety of his tree and hope that the chaos unfolding beneath him wouldn't be TOO reminiscent of when they'd been house searching-- which, he was afraid, it would be…
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Does that even count as a cliff hanger? I'm sorry it took so long to get this chapter out; it was like 20 pages long, but I had to cut it down (which took a WHILE! ^.^;) so that I could have a series that made sense. Okay, people if you've made it this far, you may as well review! ^.^
The next Chapter's going to be pretty long. You'll see a little black mail then, and possibly Sakura trying to be a conventional housewife ^.^
Oh, by the way, I'm a strong believer of Girl Power, so it's not ONLY the guys that'll be getting jobs! If S+S get into a little spat when Li comes home, Sakura may get a job just to spite him ^.^ It all depends on what you want, we'll have to see.
Hope you enjoyed this chapter, more to come LATER!
Review!
~!Ada!~