This fic takes place one day before the start of the second movie. Don't worry there are no spoilers. It is an Eriol x Syaoran with a small bit of S+S angst. I also combined some elements of the manga and anime series. I tried to make it as believable as possible considering the official ending of CCS *grumble*..this is my first time attempting to write a fic of any kind, so don't be too hard on me ^^; ::dodges flying fruit::

*Card Captor Sakura and anything related does not belong to me it is ©CLAMP..yada yada*

Inner thoughts are displayed as '/'
Feelings are displayed as '*'


Unexpected
By: Nanashi

"Syaoran! Where are you going?" yelled the anxious voice from inside the house.

"I'll be back soon Meiling, I'm going to get some last minute things for tomorrow's trip OK?" exclaimed the wild haired boy as he treaded out the door.

"OK! Hurry back soon, we still have a few things left to pack!" chimed the fading voice.

Syaoran smiled slightly at himself, as he walked the shadowed streets of Hong Kong. A long time ago Meiling would have attached herself to his side at the thought of him going out alone, but times had changed. Just as quickly, he was overcome with a long sigh as he thought about the upcoming trip back to Japan..back to her.. Why Tomoyo had the sudden urge to invite them for vacation was beyond him. He quit asking himself questions as he stopped by a bridge overlooking a large river. The sky was stained a reddish shade of orange and splashed with violet clouds. He took a longer gaze at the setting sun than he usually would. His mind had been so cluttered with anxious thoughts ever since Meiling announced their trip, that the sky filled him with momentary peace.

"Nihao, Li-kun" said a familiar voice behind him.

"That voice.." He gasped as he whirled around, "It's you.." He growled slightly at the boy with the dark blue hair and glasses.

"It's been a long time, ne, cute relative?" chirped the boy.

Syaoran turned back towards the sky.

"What are you doing here Eriol, I thought you returned to England." he huffed.

Eriol took his place beside him, and peered down lazily off the side of the rail, "I have been here on vacation for a few weeks now" he said, "I return home early in the morning".

Syaoran smirked, "Best news I have heard all day"

Eriol chuckled, "Do you really hate me that much Li-kun?"

He leaned against the rail, tilting his head slightly to match Syaoran's eyes.

*Doki Doki*

Syaoran turned away from his piercing gaze, and caught himself as he felt a warm rush of something he couldn't quite place his finger on..something he felt once before.

When he was sure of himself he faced his interrogator, "Listen Eriol..I'm sorry, it's just..just"

"Sakura?" interrupted the keen boy.

Syaoran tried to hide his burning face.

"You know to put things straight, I never meant to look like I was moving in on her, you should know by now.."

"I know, everything became clear in the end it's just.."

"You still harbor some resentment against me..I know, it's ok." Eriol finished.

/Is he reading my mind?/ Syaoran thought to himself, after all this was Clow's essence standing beside him and part of him could not forget the kind of prankster Clow had always been.

The City behind them slowly began to illuminate as the last traces of light vanished in the horizon. Eriol began fiddling with a small bag he held in his left hand. He pulled out a rice ball and offered it to Syaoran.

"Here, I know you like these, want one?" he smiled cheerfully at the slightly bewildered boy.

"No thank you I'm not very hungry tonight" he muttered.

Eriol shrugged as he took a small bite and returned his view to the darkening night.

Syaoran couldn't help but notice that he was looking at Eriol in a new light. All this time he had been so busy seeing all the mistakes Eriol made when he was around Sakura, through his green eyes of jealousy, that he had never really realized that the boy standing next to him was actually very calm, and peaceful. Syaoran almost felt, pleasant.

*Doki Doki*

/there it is again/ he inquired, as it finally struck him. It was the same way he had felt back in the day about Yukito. He mentally rebuked himself for getting caught up in the moment, perhaps Eriol was messing with his head? It had to be that, of course!, he silently chuckled to himself, Eriol does after all resemble Yukito, not to mention him being a magical being and all; it was just the same situation he had been in before, it was no biggy.. right? And yet his mental reassurance faded slowly the more he stared at the boy, no it wasn't like Yukito..it was..different.

"So are you here alone?" He managed to slip out confidently.

"Yes," Eriol replied without changing his view.

"What about Nakuru and Spinel?" he questioned.

"They are in England" answered the other as a mental image of Nakuru and Suppi fighting over the treats he would bring home danced across his mind.

He giggled.

Syaoran had heard him giggle many times before, but it would have usually gotten a response somewhere along the lines of an intense glare. This time however he stood silently glancing at him from the corner of his eyes.

"..and Kaho..?" he gulped.

Eriol's expression changed slowly into a more serious look. "She is with them."

An odd silence fell between them..

Syaoran fidgeted around with the small pebbles under his shoes, unsure of how to break the tension that his last remark obviously sprung.

"Listen I.." he began but was quickly cut off..

"She is in love with Clow.." Eriol almost burst out.

Syaoran sweat-dropped at the serious tone in his voice. It seems he struck a nerve.

"But..you.. aren't you?" he started.

"Yes, I am a reincarnation of Clow, but I have realized that she loves, him, not Eriol Hiiragizawa. Sometimes it's hard to live up to all her expectations of me. I have his memories, but it does not mean I have to be a mirror image of him, I try, you know, but with age comes uncertainty. Especially now that my power is not what it used to be..sometimes I just want to be Eriol.."

He sighed and stopped short.

"I should not be laying all of this on you Li-kun, I know it's not helping much.." He trailed off slightly.

"Helping what?".

Eriol looked off in the distance. "Has she told you her answer yet?"

This question caught Syaoran somewhat off guard.

"How did..you..?" he stuttered.

Eriol smiled at him and tapped his head lightly.

Syaoran sighed and turned away "I'd rather not talk about it".

"I see.." Replied Eriol, who subsequently checked his watch, "It is getting late Li-kun, we best get home..do you mind if I walk you there?"

"I'll be fine on my own, I want to stay out a bit longer" he said hiding his eyes from the other boy.

"As you wish" responded the blue haired boy whose expression had changed, he turned around and began walking off when a hand grabbed his wrist.

"On second thought, I think I will have that rice ball." Syaoran blurted and they smiled.

A soft breeze blew by them scattering the falling cherry blossoms everywhere as they made their way to a bench, where they could sit, eat, and chat for a while. A petal landed on Syaoran's nose, and though he sighed as he looked at it, Eriol couldn't help but grin at the sight. Syaoran saw the other boys expression and it jerked him out of his depressed gaze as a small blush creeped onto his face and a smile spread out.

"I guess I haven't been much entertainment tonight.." He began.

"On the contrary," Eriol remarked, "I'm having fun.." He said as he passed Syaoran a rice ball.

Syaoran reached out for the rice ball, but as his fingers slightly brushed Eriol's own digits his heart began to pound uncontrollably, and he tried to keep a straight face so that the wary magician would not notice. But, it was too late, before Syaoran could pull away Eriol's hand had made it's own way to his wrist and he pulled him so close that his own nose was a mere inches away from the red-faced wolf.

"Your eyes.." Whispered Eriol as he took a deep view, "they look..so sad, confused.."

He let him go and Syaoran scrambled to his side of the bench like a freaked-out mouse.

The mouse regained his composure but he faced away from the inquisitive boy.

"You have been very deep in thought lately Li-kun..has something come up?" asked Eriol.

Syaoran faced him again "I'm returning to Japan with Meiling tomorrow" he responded.

Tears started to well up in his eyes, "I don't know what to do.." He started.

"Well, obviously you want to return.." remarked Eriol, "Or you could have told Meiling that you did not want to go. I think you want closure to all of this, it has been a long time for you. You need to sort out your feelings.. you need to know." He finished.

A tear finally made it's way down the shaken wolf's face. Syaoran began to think Eriol was talking about his own situation, or could it be he understood? His heart never stopped leaping out of his chest once, as he realized Eriol had wiped away his tear. His purple eyes burned into him as if he was reading his soul. Syaoran realized he could no longer despise the boy like before. The situation had changed and he felt something new and liberating.

Eriol's finger trailed it's way to the end of Syaoran's chin as he held his face in his hand. Syaoran smiled and closed his eyes as his left hand sprung up to touch Eriol's own. He felt a strange peace for once this night, he let himself go, no longer surpressing that feeling he had felt once before. He let all his troubles melt away as Eriol brought his trembling body close to his. Syaoran barely noticed when he had ended up in Eriol's arms, his own head resting against the taller boy. The night had grown chilly but he didn't care as he wrapped himself in Eriol's warmth.

"Eriol.." Syaoran whispered, "I think you have put a spell on me..no, I know it, because I never thought I would feel so calm around you of all people.."

Eriol tenderly ran his fingers through the smaller boys hair.

"No, Syaoran, these are your own emotions breaking through the many walls you had them locked away behind.." He said burying his face in his hair.

"Do you know why I came to Hong Kong?" he whispered, Syaoran shrugged.

"Clow has sweet memories of this place, of the Li-clan, from the past. I came to get to know my own history a bit more first-hand, when one night in a dream, a few days ago, your soul cried out to me in distress. So I had to come and find you, and here we are.." he smiled.

"Eriol!" all of a sudden Syaoran clung to him almost desperately, "please..promise me you will wait for me.."

He cried out looking at Eriol's surprised face through his pleading eyes, "If I go to Japan tomorrow.. I know I can face her, if only I know I have someone waiting for me. Give me your strength Eriol, please I need it!"

He tightened his grip, "Don't let me go back.." he said digging his face into Eriol's sleeve.

The taller boy smiled as he slid his hand along Syaoran's dark mane comforting him.

"Syaoran.." he cooed, "we will always be connected, so you will always have my strength beside you"

Eriol removed his hand and the smaller boys limp body slumped against him, fast asleep. The mage smiled for a second and scooped him up in his arms, his expression changed as he held the boy.

"But.." He frowned, and they disappeared into the night.

~*~

Eriol laid the boy in his bed and tucked the sheets around him. Inside the house everyone was stopped in their tracks and knocked out cold from his sleeping spell.

"..by tomorrow you wont even remember that we met tonight.." He said brushing the bangs away from the boys face as he slumbered silently.

"All the feelings you experienced tonight will blow away with the breeze. The truth is, no matter how much I lo- enjoy you, we could never be..you have somebody besides me, who cares for you more than anything else, although she doesn't realize it yet, but she will."

He tried to smile as he took in a deep pained breath.

"She deserves to be happy, and so do you.."

He bent down over the napping figure and hesitated a moment as he hovered over him, taking in the last time he would see his face. He brushed the boys lips with his own and grinned as he headed to the open window.

"Be happy.." He whispered as he faded into the wind outside for the last time.

~*~

"Ohayo Shao-chan!" mused Meiling opening the curtains to his room.

She was wearing a cute get-up and a cheerful look on her face. Syaoran rubbed his eyes at the glaring rays of light that poured in his room. /How did I end up here?/ he blinked as he looked around. /I could have sworn../ he thought to himself.

"Ne, Meiling, did I go out somewhere last night?" he questioned.

Meiling put a long finger to her chin and thought for a moment.

"No, as far as I know we finished packing last minute stuff yesterday, anyway get ready we are going to be late! Plane leaves in two hours and you still haven't washed up or had breakfast!" she said tumbling him out of bed.

He groaned and playfully threw a pillow at her.

She left him to get ready as he fumbled around with the buttons on his shirt. He sluggishly made his way to the bathroom where he scrubbed himself clean and fresh for the day. Later on he wrestled with his hair and threw on the clothes Meiling had laid out for him. He stumbled down the stairs and into the dinning room where breakfast was waiting for him. Meiling ran in and out of the house carrying the smaller bags to the car outside. He quickly finished up the last traces of food on his plate and offered to help out with the heavier stuff. He struggled with a suitcase on the way out and stopped shortly to take in the fresh air. Overhead a plane lifted into the sky as it was heading off to it's destination.

Eriol looked out of the passenger window and placed a hand on the glass.

"Syaoran.." He whispered as he gazed at the shrinking city below him and smiled.

Syaoran dropped his bag and stared curiously at the passing plane shielding his eyes from the sun with his free hand. Meiling bumped into him from behind and snapped him out of his momentary trance.

"Shao-chan! move it!" she screeched.

He picked up his bag and headed towards the car. /Sakura../ he thought to himself and sighed..this was going to be a long trip.

~ Owari