Sorry for the delay. I have so much crap going down in my life. Uhm, there's not much of a plot in the chapters, just some things to amuse you. Read, review..and uhh, everything in between. I promise that the plot shall thicken..just not in this particular chapter. -_-;
Disclaimer: I OWN CCS..no doubt. Haha..actually, I don't, and I just spent all of my money today on food. Go figure.
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"So," Syaoran began, settling himself on Sakura's bed, "how long is this kid staying here?" he asked, staring at the young brown haired toddler as she sat in the corner of Sakura's bed, examining a calculator.
"Two weeks at the most," Sakura answered, lifting her cousin up, causing her to squeal. Walking over to Syaoran, she placed the young girl in his lap. "Can you watch her for a minute? I need to go run to the little girls' room for a minute" and with that, she left, tickling the toddler on the way out.
Syaoran looked down at the little being sitting on his lap. Large, innocent looking brown eyes stared up at him as he scratched his head. "You're a cute one, Mai-chan" he said to her, making her giggle. "How old are you?"
The young child held up two chubby fingers and answered, "TWO!" She turned around and stood up so that the two where face to face. She had a large grin on her face while standing on his thighs as his arms supported the wobbling young child.
"So you're two, huh?" he chuckled, tapping her little nose. 'How cute is the little one?!' Syaoran asked himself. Mai only looked up at him curiously. Unexpectedly, she grinned and gave him a wet and sloppy kiss on his cheek. "Gaah!" he said exclaimed, feeling the drool on his right cheek, "you little monkey!" He picked up the youngster and blew a raspberry on her stomach, causing her to erupt in laughter. Sakura walked in that moment and chuckled.
"I see that you two are getting along just fine" Sakura giggled, "but I'm afraid its time for Miss Mai's bedtime. Its already 11!"
"Where's she gunna sleep?" Syaoran inquired. Looking around the room, he saw no place for the young child to sleep.
"Well, I figured since this is the first night in a strange place, and plus this was unexpected, Mai could sleep with me for the time being until I settle her in" Sakura answered, dressing the kid up for sleep. Syaoran watched as carefully placed the nightgown on Mai, who stood with her hands over head. Syaoran and Sakura both laughed when Mai's head popped up from the gown.
"Kuwa!" she squealed in glee, clapping her small hands "up, Kuwa, up!" she said, raising her hands, wanting to be held.
"Aww, baby" Sakura cooed, "are you tired?" Just then, little Mai yawned cutely, causing Syaoran to chuckle.
"I guess that's my cue to leave," he said, "g'night ladies, sweet dreams."
"Wait a second," Sakura said softly, "help me put the little one to sleep."
Meanwhile…
"Eriol," Tomoyo giggled, "it's already 11:05"
"That's okay," came a muffled reply, "we don't have classes tomorrow anyways."
"I have work, you dolt! And yah we do, we have physics, remember silly?" Tomoyo said, pushing Eriol off her, "besides, I think the librarian over there is getting a little more than peeved at us," she said, signaling to her left. A stern looking lady with her hair slicked back into a tight bun was glaring at the two. "Sakura and Syaoran are probably wondering where we are anyways."
"Spoil sport," Eriol murmured into her ear. "but that's okay, I like you that way" he finished with a grin,
"Yah, you better," she teased as the two collected their belongings. They stepped out into the cool Tokyo night, the stars and moon shining brightly above them.
"Eriol-kun," Tomoyo began, fiddling with the strap of her bag, "I have a question."
"Shoot"
"What are we?"
That question threw him off, it being so out of the blue. "Well," he began carefully, planning out his words, "you are a Tomoyo, and I guess, I am an Eriol" he said.
"Eriol" Tomoyo said, smacking his arm lightheartedly, "I know that, but seriously. What are we?"
Eriol laughed. "Well my dear, I know we are not friends, 'cuz you and me both know that we crossed that line ages ago. I know that we aren't committal, like let's-get-married committal,--"
"But we're not like 'let's see other people' right?" Tomoyo butted in.
"Of course we're not. I guess we could say that we're just—"
"testing out the water?" Tomoyo put in, uncertainly.
"Exactly what I was thinking, babe" he said, gathering her into his arms. "let's just see where this thing is leading us and take it from there."
Tomoyo sighed into his shirt. "I guess..but you still haven't answered my question" she mumbled softly.
"How about we say that we are 'The Official Unofficial Couple'"
"'The Official Unofficial Couple'?" Tomoyo questioned, raising her eyes to the man walking beside her. 'Where does this man come up with these thing?! ' she thought. "That sounds like some corny American reality show. Definition please."
"'The Official Unofficial Couple' is what we are. These past few months or so, we have grown closer and closer, and we've been totally honest towards each other about what we feel" Eriol began,"and that would classify us official." Tomoyo hummed in agreement, listening to his baritone voice. "Then there's that unspoken feeling of uncertainty between us. Even though we're together all the time, I sense that there's that unwillingness towards a set commitment. True?"
Tomoyo listened to his explanation, realizing how true his words where. "True" she answered slowly.
"And then there's the lovely 'Couple' part of our status. We are two people, a pair, a duo, two of a kind that fate had decided to let meet. We share mutual feeling. We're a 'team', I guess you could say. And I don't know about you, but I like the though of me and you, you and me" he finished with genuine smile.
Smiling at the sweet and heartfelt explanation of her 'official unofficial partner', she realized just how lucky she was. "I guess I could over look the corny name since you defined it so well," she laughed, "But being the official unofficial couple, that doesn't mean that we still can't kiss, right?" she asked mischievously.
"Of course not. We wouldn't be the 'couple' we are if there weren't any kissing," he murmured, stopping in front of Tomoyo's dorm. The two barely realized that they walked, and talked, for that long, seeing as they already reached their destination. The smooching couple stood in the hallway for quite a while, doing their own business.
A few seconds, or minutes, we should say, Eriol opened the door for Tomoyo and the two stepped in. What they saw was something completely unexpected, causing Tomoyo and Eriol to gasp simultaneously.
There in the middle of the room stood Sakura, rocking a sleeping child on her shoulder, whispering comforts in the baby's ears. Syaoran was arranging pillows on Sakura's bed. Carefully, Sakura gave the child to Syaoran, who gently placed her on the pillows he previously fixed up. The two young adults stood side by side, staring at the child sleeping peacefully on Sakura's bed, both still dressed up in their dinner clothes. If Tomoyo and Eriol didn't know any better, they could have for sure mistaken their friends as young and mature parents.
Having watched the whole scene, Tomoyo decided to make her presence known. She cleared her throat, causing the young pair to turn around.
Confusion was clearly written across Tomoyo and Eriol's. 'Where on God's green earth did that child come from?' they thought. Seeing the bewildered look on their faces, Sakura and Syaoran signaled them to go outside so they could talk. Closing the door silently behind them, Tomoyo finally couldn't help but ask.
"Where'd the kid come from?! Don't tell me you two have been hiding something from me," she said, eyeing the two suspiciously. "I mean, I know you two have been childhood friends, but SHEESH! Don't you think that you two a little young for that?!" Tomoyo grinned, laughing in the inside. She new very well that the child couldn't possible be her friends' child, but hey, it did pass for a good topic to tease about.
Sakura and Syaoran stood there, face red, taken completely be surprised at the accusation. Eriol stood there, watching the two through amused eyes.
"Wha! That's not our kid!" Syaoran managed to sputter out. Sakura seconded that behind him. "Where on earth did you get that notion?!" Sakura gasped, looking completely appalled.
Tomoyo giggled. "I was just messing with you, Sakura! Sheesh, don't have a cow..or a child for that matter." She ignored that irritated glare that was shot at her. "So who's kid is that?" she asked.
"It's my cousin's kid. His wife is having a baby, and no one could take her in while they stayed at the hospital, so I offered to take her. Her name's Mai."
"And she's really cute!" Syaoran added proudly. The three of them stared at their friends strangely. "What?! She is!!"
"Now that was an un-Syaoran like comment," Eriol said.
"Shut up," Syaoran mumbled. "That's the last time I ever put my two cents into a conversation.." he muttered playfully, causing his friends to laugh.
"Mommmmma" whimpered a little voice. "Where is my momma?" The little voice continued to whimper, calling for its mother.
Sakura groggily opened a tired eye. Glancing outside the window, she saw that it was barely sunrise. "Whaa.." she muttered, moving around. She realized that she couldn't move her left arm. Looking down , she saw a little girl snuggled in her arms, quietly calling for her mother, half awake. After a few seconds of confusion she remembered the events of last night. "Aww, Mai-chan," she said lightly, pulling the scared child into her arms, "its okay, go back to sleep. Momma is just resting, okay?" she continued to rock the child back in forth, hoping that she wouldn't start crying full out. Not long after the child fell asleep, Sakura also drifted off into slumber.
Two hours later, at 7:05, little Mai-chan woke up. Looking at the sleeping giant next to her, she grinned. Quietly slipping out of the bed, she decided to do a little exploring. Across the room, she saw another sleeping giant on a purple bed. "Purpo!" she exclaimed, making her way to the purple bed. Curious eyes peered up at the older girl with dark hair, sleeping on her bed. Crawling into the bed, the child tucked herself into the soft cover, and fell asleep once again.
"AAAYYYYYYYYYIIIIIIIEEEEEEEE!!!"
"aaaaWWAAAHH!"
"AAAHHHHH!!"
Tomoyo shrieked loudly, after opening her eyes and finding a pair of eyes staring directly at her, drool falling from a small mouth. The little girl began to cry, seeing the young woman scream at her. Sakura jumped out of her bed, yelping in surprise at the two loud screams that woke her.
"What? What?! What happened?! Where's Mai!!?" Sakura cried, jumping up out of bed, looking wildly across the room, her hair sticking in ever direction, eyes wide. She heard a sniffle come from under Tomoyo's blanket, and she saw her friend sitting up surprised, trying to catch her breath. The lump under Tomoyo's blanket continued to sniff, which then turned into a giggles as the form squirm. Tomoyo and Sakura looked at each other for a second and grinned.
"Oh dear, Sakura-chan, where on earth can little Mai be?!" Tomoyo gasped.
"Oh Tomoyo-chan! I don't know! Where is she? I hope she's not lost," Sakura played along, tapping her chin.
"I'm here! I'm here!" Mai exclaimed, pulling the blanket over her head, giggling.
"Do you hear anything Sakura?" Tomoyo asked, fighting down a giggle.
"Yah, it sounds like little Mai-chan, but where is she? I can't see her!" Sakura answered, spreading her arms in wonder.
"I'm here Sakuwa-chan!" Mai said, now bouncing on the bed, flailing her arms, trying to catch her attention.
"Hey! My bed is bouncing!! What's happenening?" Tomoyo exclaimed, pretending not to see the kid jumping right in front of her face.
"Maybe it's a ghost," Sakura suggested thoughtfully.
"Kuwaaa-chan! I'm here!! Kuwa-chan!" Mai began to wail, still jumping on the bed. 'Why can't the see me?' Mai thought, confused. Thinking she really did turn invisible, she began to cry. "Sakuwaaaaaaaaaa!" she wailed.
"Aww…THERE you are Mai-chan!" Sakura said, sensing her cousin's fear. "We've been looking all over the place for you!! Where'd yah go, kiddo?"
"I was HERE!" she sniffed, "near the purpo girl!"
"Purpo?" Tomoyo repeated, not understanding. Then she glanced down and laughed. "Oooh, 'purple'" she said, correcting the pronunciation.
"Yah, purpo," Mai said. "See? Purpo shirt, purpo blaket!" she exclaimed, pointing.
"'Blanket', not blaket," Tomoyo corrected again, smiling.
"Blaket!" Mai repeated, clapping her hands. Sakura just laughed.
"I don't think she's mastered the alphabet yet, Tomoyo" Sakura chuckled. "I guess we're just gunna have to listen extra hard to understand her. I'm so sorry for her disturbing your sleep. I didn't realize it when she slipped out of me bed. I'm guessing she was attracted to your 'purpo' stuff," she laughed.
"Oh, no problem," she waved off. "She just surprised me when I opened my eyes and I saw eyes staring straight at me. I have no problem with watching this little munchkin" she said, ruffling her long dark hair.
"Kuwa," Mai began, shifting uncomfortably, "I go bathroom."
After five minutes of laughing, then another five of trying to figure how to change a diaper, Mai was as fresh and clean as before.
"What an experience!" Tomoyo exclaimed. "Good thing she was wearing a diaper, I don't think I would much appreciate wet sheets" she laughed, making face.
"Oh I know, seriously!"
"So what's on the agenda for today?" Tomoyo asked, pulling the covers over her bed.
"Not quite sure." Sakura answered from her sprawled up position on her bed with Mai playing on her belly. "I was thinking we could, uuh, actually, I haven't really thought of anything to do today" she finished lamely, with a chuckle.
"Good going Sakura" Tomoyo teased.
There was a knock on the door and both girls called to come in. Syaoran and Eriol stepped inside the dorm. "Mornin' sunshines" Syaoran greeted as he sat himself down next to Sakura. "What are we doing today?"
"No clue" Sakura answered, "as you can see, we are still in our pajamas, so we are in no hurry to get anywhere. What do you guys propose we do?"
"Well, Tomoyo and I have a physics class this evening, so we could just hang out until then" Eriol suggested.
"Sure why not," Tomoyo said, getting up.
"You wouldn't mind watching Mai while Tomoyo and I get ready do you?" Sakura asked with puppy dog eyes. The guys squirmed as both Tomoyo and Sakura looked at them expectantly.
"Uhh, sure" Eriol answered hesitantly, "but I'll have you know that I have no idea how to babysit"
"Oh come on, we'll be gone for maybe 30 minutes, top. Bye guys, thanks for your help! We owe you one!" Sakura said, closing the door behind them. The guys sighed. Then the door popped open again.
"Oh yea, could you guys dress little Mai? I already gave her a shower last night. Her clothes are in the light yellow bag over there. You guys are sweeties, bye!" and the door slammed shut again.
Both of them groaned. Eriol called out, "I'm not doing it, I don't know how!"
"What?! Why me? I've never dressed a kid before!"
"Liar, you have about 15 nieces and nephew." Eriol countered. Syaoran grumbled at his friend.
"Hey, those little ones are related to you too, you know. You and I both know that I spent as much time with them as you have."
Just then they heard thud. And then another thud. Quickly turning around, they saw Mai standing on Sakura's bed, pulling out book after on the shelf above and dropping them to the floor. A pile was already forming as the books continued to fall.
"Oh Shi—ns" Syaoran somewhat cursed.
"Shins?" Eriol asked, amused.
"Hey, I can't cuss in front of this one! Sakura would castrate me if Mai ever repeated that word."
"True," Eriol agreed as a picked up a protesting Mai from his friend's bed. "Okay little one, Syaoran-chan will dress you now!" he grinned, handing him over to Syaoran.
"Thanks Eli-chan" Syaoran answered back, using his hated nick-name. Eriol cringed at the sound of it, "Let's get you changed."
Fifteen minutes later, multiple little girl outfits strewn across both Sakura and Tomoyo's bed, two exhausted guys, and one wailing child later, Mai was completely changed. The guys covered their ears as Mai continued crying her eyes out and wailing to her hearts content,
"Eriol!! What did you do to her?! Make her stop!!"
"I don't know!! She just started crying out of no where after I put on her shoes! Turn her OFF!"
"I don't know how to make her stop!"
"Well then pick her up, you dolt!" Eriol yelled over the racket.
"Why me? You're the one who made her cry you monster." Syaoran grumbled as he picked up the kid in his arms and rocked her. She continued crying, but the noise went down only a notch. The door burst open and a guy bounded into the room. He stopped in his tracks when he saw Syaoran holding a baby.
Syaoran and Eriol froze, Mai suspended in the air, ceasing her wails for the moment. A low whistle was heard followed by a chuckle.
"Daamn Syaoran, you work fast, man" Taizo snickered. "Cute kid, by the way."
"Thanks Taizo," Syaoran said, "but this kid isn't mine. You're not a god-daddy yet. What're you doing up here?"
"I checked in your dorm and figured since you weren't there you'd probably be in here. I just wanted to thank you from the bottom of my heart for helping me out with Xuan last night. And just for that, I assumed that you forgot all about our game tonight," he said slyly, " and I volunteered you to tutor our dearest little Xuan" Taizo finished with a grin.
"What?! No!" the brown haired young man bellowed. At the sudden outburst, Mai began to whimper. "I have to baby sit this!" he said, clutching and cuddling the little Japanese girl as if she were a life saver, causing her to giggle.
"Oh well, too bad. You can tell that to her yourself. Man, I can't believe you left me with that annoying little bitc-"
"TAIZO!!"
The three young men, startled at the yell, turned around to see a livid Sakura at the door, nothing but a towel wrapped around her. "What in the world are you thinking using suck profanity in front of my little cousin?! Out!" she said, pointing to the door. "I need to change."
Syaoran, at the sight of her exposed flesh, had the grace to blush. "Than means you too Syaoran!" her voice cut through his thoughts. Glancing up, Syaoran realized that Eriol and Taizo had already scrambled out of the room.
"Aww, you mean I don't get to watch?" he blurted out with a smirk.
"OUT!" she shrieked, grinning, taking Mai from him and closing the door in his handsome face.
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A/N: I didn't have time to edit this, and this was the only time I could update. Please excuse the typos. I'm working on proofreading and fixing up my previous chapters also, so just bear with me. oh, and PLEASE review!
Oh..and I know the UOC thing was corny..shudddup..
